Science Leads
by Julie Ann Pope
Summary: Kate Lethbridge-Stewart's backstory - from Downtime (1995) to the present day. Featuring her past association and relationship with Sarah Jane Smith, her rise through the ranks of UNIT and a potential future relationship with her friend and eventual assistant, Osgood.
1. Downtime - The Aftermath

**Author** **'s Note: -** this scene picks up where Downtime left off, although you don't have to have seen it to understand the story.

* * *

 **Prologue - September 1995**

Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Sarah Jane Smith looked on fondly as Kate's father, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart walked off along the canal, hand in hand with his new found grandson. Sarah Jane turned to her companion after a few moments and leaned into Kate's personal space as though it were a confession.

"I'm famished, fancy a pizza?" Kate brushed some of her straggly blonde hair from her eyes with her hand and paused.

"You know, I think I'd rather have a pint." Kate's mind was still trying to process the last few hours. She had contacted her father in desperation at being harassed by students of The New World University, better known as 'Chillys.' It had been the first time in six years that they had seen each other face to face and then he'd found out about Gordy's existence. Along with her father's appearance came the inevitable military and top secret UNIT nonsense, as if the two were inexplicably bound to one another.

Kate had loathed it all from an early age, unsurprised when it had been responsible for her parents' failed marriage. Almost as if to spite it all, to oppose whatever nonsense the military stood for, she'd developed a strong pacifist political stance in her adult years. Then there had been all of the really odd stuff with The Great Intelligence; Yeti, an ivory locus and silver orbs which seemed to be connected to the World Wide Web and her father somehow.

"Make it a cup of tea and you're on." Perhaps Sarah Jane wasn't quite so much of a pub person then? Something to eat and a cup of tea sounded alright though. They hooked their arms around each other and walked off up the canal, leaving her father some time alone to get to know his grandson.

"There's a cafe just the other side of that lock," Kate suggested helpfully as she'd been there a couple of times with Gordy for a late Sunday breakfast.

They took up a seat in one of the corners, slightly out of the way of the other patrons and with a view of the canal. Sarah Jane perused the menu, there wasn't any pizza she fancied so she ordered a peppermint tea along with an omelette from the waitress. Kate ordered a cup of ordinary tea and a toasted sandwich in turn.

"So, you used to work with Dad back in the day? You don't look like military." Sarah Jane practically snorted at that remark. She wore a beige skirt suit and a white blouse with black polka dots on it. Although Kate had observed that she did seem to run well in a pair of heels though.

"No, I'm most certainly not! I'm a journalist. My Aunt was a top scientist and had occasional dealings with UNIT whereas I was more inquisitive, got myself unofficially involved. It sort of grew from there. Although, I'm not really affiliated with UNIT anymore." There was a slight sadness to Sarah's tone but Kate didn't know her well enough to pick up on it yet.

"Who was your aunt?" Kate's ears had pricked up when Sarah had said that she was a scientist.

"Lavinia Smith, virologist." Kate nodded in recollection and smiled at her companion.

"Oh I've heard of her, quite brilliant by all accounts. I'm sure she did a series of lectures around the UK when I was at university. She'd just come back from a tour of the US if I remember correctly?" Sarah Jane twigged that Kate must have a professional interest to have remembered that much about her aunt.

"Are you a scientist?"

"Yes, chemistry and physics. I teach GCSE science at a local school these days. Had aspirations to become a research scientist but things happened and then Gordy came along and… well, needs must." Sarah's journalist senses were piqued and she just knew there was a story there somewhere.

"What about his father?" The question was out of Sarah's mouth before she could think about it, she didn't even hesitate that it might be too personal a tale to tell.

"Long story, but suffice to say it was never going to work. He's not in the picture anymore." Kate was quite matter of fact in her words but she was guarded nonetheless.

"I'm sorry." Kate was saved from any further explanation by the waitress returning with their drinks. She ducked back into the kitchen and brought out their food as well.

"So, what about you… attached, kids?" Sarah Jane coughed slightly on her tea, she was used to asking the awkward questions but not receiving them in turn. No one was ever really that interested in finding out more about her these days, it was usually work, work, work.

"Err, no. That's not really my area." Kate's eyebrows rose and she smirked at Sarah who caught her and couldn't maintain the eye contact. Kate was secretly pleased that her hunch about this woman was proving to be correct.

"What is your area? Your journalistic specialism I mean." Kate let the innuendo hang in the air between them for the time being.

"I'm currently freelance so I take up a whole range of things. Generally I'd prefer people focused stories, standing up for those who can't let their voices be heard for one reason or another."

"Sounds very rewarding."

"Sometimes." They continued to eat and make small talk, Sarah Jane explaining that she'd been living in Camberwell for a few years and Kate about living on a boat along the Lea Valley navigation path. The fact that they were both living in London suburbs was not lost on either of them. They finished their late lunch and headed back to the boat to check up on The Brigadier and Gordon. They walked side by side for a short while before Kate plucked up the courage to ask Sarah Jane a question she'd been burning to ask for the last hour or so.

"Sarah?"

"Mmm?"

"I was wondering… I'd like to see you again, if I may?"

"I don't see why not, seeing as we don't live a million miles away from each other."

"No, I mean… I _like_ you… I'm asking you out on a date." Kate thought that she should just go for it, what did she have to lose? Although, judging by the horrified look on Sarah's face, perhaps Kate had misread the signals? It wouldn't have been the first time.

"I'm very flattered Kate but I don't think I'm the sort of person you want complicating your life." There was a warning there but Kate didn't heed it.

"Because you're a woman? I'm very comfortable with my sexuality, if that's what you're thinking? I've always known that I'm gay, so you're not an experiment or anything of the sort." Kate had had enough women do that to her, especially when she was younger and at university.

"I don't doubt that, though thanks for the clarification. I actually meant that I'm not really a relationship person; never in one place long enough to get attached. Besides, I'm always working ridiculous hours and travelling all over the world." Sarah Jane couldn't tell Kate that she was also waiting for a certain Time Lord in a blue police box to come and ask her to travel with him again, but the likelihood of that was getting slimmer and slimmer with every passing decade.

"That suits me, something casual. I'm not really looking for anything long term."

"Kate, we barely know each other…"

"It's okay, I get it. Just think about it, maybe come over next weekend for Gordy's birthday? I've asked Dad to come too and while it's still a bit awkward it would be nice to have a bit of extra company and support."

"I don't know Kate, I am very busy. We'll see."

* * *

 **Chapter One - The Following Week**

As Gordon tore into the brightly coloured paper that surrounded yet another birthday gift from his grandfather, Kate was distracted by a firm knock at the door of her houseboat. She looked up from enjoying the sight of the two of the most important people in her life getting to know each other and looked out of one of the small windows to catch a glimpse of her visitor. She recognised the chestnut hair immediately, followed by a predictable smart suit and small heels - just enough to make herself look a bit taller. It wasn't an unexpected visit, Kate had invited her after all, but it was a surprise that she had actually turned up. Sarah Jane Smith was a busy woman and in her own words; a career journalist who was never in the same place for too long. She did however, have a long history with the Brigadier and they were good friends, even if they hadn't seen each other in a number of years until recently. Kate opened the door and greeted her guest warmly.

"Sarah Jane! It's good to see you, I wasn't sure you'd make it." The intrepid journalist looked a little sheepish, shrugged her shoulders and smiled shyly at her host.

"I cleared my diary." Kate raised a surprised eyebrow but didn't say anything further. She suspected there was more to it than that but didn't want to scare the older woman off.

"Please, come in. Dad's just being a bad influence on Gordy. I could do with some reasonable female input." Kate ushered Sarah Jane through and shut the door behind her.

"I heard that!" Alistair called from his comfortable position on the floor. He lay amongst toys that were half opened from their boxes, discarded wrapping paper and a tower of packaging off to one side. Gordy had a wide grin on his face and was helping his grandfather to construct a structure out of Lego bricks.

"Quite right too." Sarah Jane walked into the living area and chuckled at the scene before her. Who would have thought this was the same military man who was in charge of UNIT only a few years before?

"Sarah Jane! How lovely to see you again so soon." And for the Brigadier it truly was, for no one in his life quite understood what he had seen and done throughout his time in service at UNIT. Sarah Jane did, she had worked and also travelled with The Doctor; had seen things beyond most people's dreams.

"You too Brigadier. Hello Gordon, remember me?" The little boy nodded his head enthusiastically but continued to play with his bright, shiny new toys.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do with all these toys Dad, in case you haven't noticed I don't have a huge amount of room." Alistair's face grew serious for a moment as he looked directly at his daughter.

"I was going to talk to you about that. Why don't you move into a house? Somewhere that you can call your own, have plenty of space for both you and Gordy, perhaps have a garden he can run around in too?" Apart from the fact that she couldn't have afforded to buy or rent a house on her sole income, Kate actually quite liked the freedom that came with living along the canal. It had been her and Gordy against the world for three years, not answering to anyone and living her life the way she wanted to. She wasn't about to change it just because her father was back on the scene, regardless of whether or not he approved of her living arrangements.

"Dad..."

"And there would be plenty of room if Gordy were to have a sibling one day. In the future of course."

"Dad!"

"And if it's money you're worried about well, I'm sure I could more than help you out there, it's probably long overdue and I was well recompensed when I retired." Kate looked over at Sarah Jane with a panic stricken expression. Despite feeling caught up in a family domestic Sarah returned a gesture for Kate to calm down and it seemed to have been the right thing to do.

"I think that's perhaps a conversation for another time." It took all of Kate's strength to keep her voice even and not cause a scene. She loved her father, really she did, but they'd not long since been reunited after many years of estrangement. There were a whole host of reasons for that, none of which had been addressed and Kate didn't feel he'd earned the right to be imparting his fatherly advice just yet. His relationship with Gordy was a different thing altogether and she could no longer deny them both the opportunity to get to know each other. It wouldn't have been fair on either of them if she did that. Alistair fortunately picked up on the tension he'd unwittingly caused and backed off with a firm nod. He was all too aware of how fragile and tentative his relationship with Kate still was and didn't want to jeopardise it so early on.

"Granddad..." Gordy tugged on Alistair's sleeve to get his attention. "...put this one together." He thrust a set of bricks into his grandfather's hands. Kate coughed out loud and the youngster looked at his mother.

"What do you say?" She reminded him of his manners, unable to abide ill-mannered people.

"Please Granddad." The adults chuckled, and Kate felt herself relax as Gordy's interlude helped disperse the tense atmosphere.

"Anyone want another cup of tea?" Kate asked her guests. She was a true Brit and had grown up with the belief that a good cup of tea could solve most of life's problems.

"Yes please love." Alistair replied offhandedly as he continued to play with his grandson. Sarah Jane stood and went to meet Kate over by the kitchenette.

"Do you think we could have a quick chat, alone?" She whispered so the other two couldn't hear.

"Er, yeah. Let's go outside." Kate set about making the tea and handed her father his once it was ready.

"Dad, we're just popping out for a walk around the area. We shouldn't be too long, will you be alright with Gordon for a bit?"

"Of course, have fun." Sarah Jane followed Kate as she meandered along the banks of the canal. They made some small talk about the still-warm autumnal weather but they both knew it was a delaying tactic.

"I take it you haven't had much of a chance to talk to your father properly?" They had come to a stop by the lock and Sarah Jane gestured for Kate to take a seat on the bench just by a cluster of trees to one side, partially shielding them from prying eyes. Kate sat down but not before checking that the bench was dry and clear of anything untoward.

"No, we've not seen each other since last week. There's so much ground to cover, so many old wounds that need to be reopened. I wanted him to spend some time with Gordy first, get to know him before we start having disagreements." Kate fiddled with her hands in her lap, clearly still full of emotion over the estrangement from her father in the first place.

"Surely enough time has passed?" Sarah Jane couldn't help but think of the parents she had never known and her private sorrow about the whole thing. Not that Aunt Lavinia hadn't been a wonderful guardian after all she was still doing her best to look after her fiercely independent and very much grown-up niece.

"My mother was terribly hurt and I grew up hardly ever seeing him. At first I thought that he just couldn't be bothered, then I wondered if it was because Mum kept him away or even that I'd done something wrong, disappointed him in some way." Sarah Jane hadn't known Kate very long but she had a hard time believing that she was naturally this despondent.

"You know that couldn't possibly have been true?"

"I was a child Sarah Jane! What else was I supposed to think? Of course I knew that he was 'in the army' and that his job would mean long periods of time away from home but I had absolutely no idea why we never saw him. It was a difficult thing for me to understand then and I still don't fully understand it now. At least not until we've had a chance to talk anyway."

"I suppose that's fair enough, just…give him a chance. He's been my friend for a long time and I know him well enough to say with some certainty that he's a good man and that he loves you very much."

"Thank you." Without thinking, Kate reached out and patted Sarah Jane's knee to match her words. Finally it gave Sarah Jane the courage to talk to her companion about what she really had wanted to say in the first place.

"I've been thinking about what you said, in the cafe last week. I still can't promise you anything but I would like to get to know you better. I do like you, a lot." There, once it was out, it was out and Sarah Jane felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Are you blushing?" Kate teased, knowing full well that it had taken a lot for Sarah Jane to admit her feelings out loud. "You are, aren't you? I've made the legendary Sarah Jane Smith blush!"

"Stop it!" It was said playfully but Kate stopped her teasing nonetheless. She reached out and took both of Sarah's hands in her own.

"I'm going to kiss you now." Sarah Jane couldn't think of anything to say so she just nodded and waited as the younger woman inched closer. Their lips met in a chaste kiss but it was more than enough of a promise to see where their new friendship would lead.

* * *

 **February 1996**

Kate lay in her bed, the covers entangled around the lower half of her body exposing her bare torso to her bed mate. She was comfortable and relaxed, something she hadn't felt in a long time. She propped herself up on one side with her elbow and turned to Sarah Jane.

"You know that you're a bad influence? I've never called in sick in my life before!" Her tone was teasing and her voice slightly husky. Sarah Jane was sat against the headboard, sheets tucked up around her chest tightly but there was a lazy smile on her face and the remnants of a flush to her cheeks.

"I never said that I was a good one!" They chuckled lightly together and Kate pushed herself closer into Sarah's slightly guarded personal space. She ghosted fingertips up the older woman's freckled arm, over her bare shoulder and down towards the concertinaed sheet. Once Kate had heard the tell-tale intake of breath she carefully unfolded the sheet and slid it down Sarah's body.

"I never said that I didn't approve." Kate replaced her fingers with her lips and kissed her way along Sarah's collarbone and down towards her breast. Sarah Jane moaned and squirmed at Kate's touch for a few moments before gently pushing her back to stop her. She ran a hand through the younger woman's straggly, long blonde hair and cupped her cheek before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"I'm glad, I needed this." Sarah Jane said with all the weariness of a woman who was consumed by her job, but Kate knew that in spite of the terribly long and unsocial hours she kept, she thrived on it too.

"Tough few weeks?" Kate took hold of Sarah's hand, kissed her knuckles and held it in hers across the older woman's still-covered lap. She could wait a while longer to resume their activities and instead took the opportunity to learn more about her usually closed-off lover.

"Yeah, I've had a couple of all-nighters. I've been working on an expose on a well known restaurant chain. I've had to go undercover as a patron at several branches. Once you've had one over-priced meal alone, knowing who's been shafted to get it there, the whole experience sort of loses its appeal." A lot of Sarah's work these days revolved around getting justice for people who were unable to speak up for themselves. It was satisfying to free those people and ensure the perpetrators were appropriately punished for their misdeeds but there was an ever-so slightly hollow feeling that she still carried around with her on a daily basis. She knew where her heart really lay and however resigned she was to the fact that she was no longer a space-time adventurer, it didn't stop her longing for it.

"You know, if you ever needed a dinner companion you could always ask me?" So far, their relationship had mainly revolved around sex and conversations snatched in-between. Not that it was a problem in any way, Sarah had been upfront about her availability from the very beginning and Kate was happy with their arrangement. She wasn't ready for a long-term commitment at this point in her life, if that was something she even wanted at all. It certainly wasn't with Jonathan, although that had been a different circumstance entirely.

"And what about Gordon?"

"I have friends who could babysit, or Dad could take him for the night."

"How _are_ things going with your father?" Kate huffed loudly in exasperation.

"Way to kill the mood!"

"Not going well then?" Sarah Jane offered with a wry smile. She thought the world of The Brigadier but he was a very stubborn and single-minded fellow at the best of times. She hadn't known Kate long but she understood well enough that she shared her father's stubborn streak. The two together were bound to be a recipe for disaster.

"I'm not sure how I should feel about discussing my father when I'm in bed with one of his friends! I think that's too weird for comfort." Kate had tried not to think of their relationship in those terms too often.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Kate sighed deeply and resigned herself to having this conversation now.

"No, I'm sorry, that wasn't fair of me. You're right, it's up and down at best, and he's still going on about me getting a house, perhaps even moving closer to him and Doris so they can see Gordon more regularly." It suited Kate to be in a London suburb; she had the freedom to move the boat wherever she pleased, usually somewhere where there was plenty of green space for Gordy. At the same time she got to have a bit of a social life in the centre of the big, bright city and mix with all different types of people.

"Ah, so you've met Doris then? What do you think of her?"

"Yeah, I went to visit them a couple of weeks ago. She's lovely, wonderful even. I can see that she keeps Dad in line, although he's a stubborn old mule and there are just some things where she won't win. He adores her though, that's obvious and she him. She's also taken well to Gordy and is determined to teach him about gardening."

"Have you spoken to your mother about all of this?"

" _That_ was a difficult conversation. Remember that I hadn't been in touch with her for several years either, so my phone call came out of the blue. She's obviously just as thrilled as Dad to learn that she had a grandson but then I had to tell her about getting back in touch with him too. She just doesn't want to see me get hurt or for Gordy to be let down. But she acknowledges that it's a good thing for Dad and I to work out some sort of relationship. She's always said how much of him she sees in me." Sometimes when her mother had said it it'd sounded like an accusation, other times it was just plain sad for the loss of what could have been had Alistair not been so married to his job.

"I can see it too, but you're less…military." Despite the fact that Kate had seriously considered using her father's gun to defend herself from the Chillys back when she'd first met Sarah Jane, it was fairly obvious she shared the older woman's pacifist philosophy. It made the repair of her relationship with her father that much more difficult considering his long-standing devotion to the military.

"Thanks, I think?"

"It was a compliment I assure you."

"How's your aunt?"

"I haven't seen her in months, although we speak on the phone regularly. She knows better than to interfere in my life."

"That sounds rather…cold."

"Not exactly the maternal type was Aunt Lavinia and I wouldn't have appreciated it either."

"That must have been difficult growing up?"

"I've not known any different and it's made me the person I am today. I'm grateful for it; I'm independent, self-sufficient, my own person. I don't want to have been tied to someone, foregoing my own identity for the sake of a comfortable, traditional life like some of my peers. I feel lucky to have been a part of the feminist movement and that I never felt the pressure to conform in that way."

"Amen sister! I'm so glad you _get_ that, I wish Dad would at least try to understand. He thinks I'm being difficult for the sake of it, an act of rebellion."

"Isn't it? At least in part?"

"I'll tell you the stories about that part of my life another time. But this," Kate gestured with her hands to indicate the houseboat, "is me. It's my independence, my feminism, and without it I'm not being true to myself."

"He's only trying to help in the best way he knows how. He's coming at things from a position of hindsight and wants to try and make life easier for you."

"I don't need things to be made easier, I want to work hard and reap what I sow. Have just enough to survive but be proud that I did it by myself."

"I don't think there would be any doubt about that!" They chuckled together and Kate decided to let her fingers wander over Sarah's Jane's body once again.

"That conversation was a bit too serious for what I had in mind we'd be doing today. Do you think that perhaps we could get back to more important things? Especially as I'm going to have to pick Gordy up from school in a couple of hours."

Sarah Jane flung the rest of the sheet away from her body and shifted herself so that she hovered over her younger lover. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the side of Kate's face, near her ear before dropping kisses along her jawbone and down the side of her neck. It seemed to do the trick and Kate was once again writhing in pleasure at her touch.

"Like this you mean?" Sarah Jane asked with feigned innocence as she watched Kate, the younger woman's cheeks flushed, eyes dark as she stared hungrily back. Kate grabbed hold of Sarah's face with both hands and manoeuvred them into a passionate kiss.

"Mmm, that's much better," Kate hummed into the kiss, her hands winding almost helpless into Sarah's hair as she kept the woman pressed against her.

Sarah's left hand wandered down the length of Kate's body as they continued to kiss, pushing its way underneath what was left of the sheet that covered Kate before slipping between her legs. Sarah Jane teased the younger woman, drawing out the foreplay almost expertly before allowing Kate to crash over the edge with a cry.

"Who'd have thought that you in your smart suits and prim and proper manner would be that good at giving a woman an orgasm?" Kate panted, pushing a hand lazily through her tangled hair.

"And what about you in your jeans and baggy jumpers? You're a science teacher with PhDs in Chemistry and Physics! You're much smarter than you let on."

"Touche! Speaking of which," Kate's voice turned predatory," I think it's currently 2-1 to me and it's only fair I should rectify this immediately."

"I'm not going to stop you."

Kate flipped their positions so that she was now on top and in control. She straddled Sarah Jane's waist with her knees and took the time to mark her torso with kisses and touches, relishing in each individual sound she drew from the woman's mouth. She moved in synchronisation with Sarah, tracing the woman's body with her fingertips and her tongue, moving in almost perfect rhythm with each arch of the woman's back, each roll of her hips. Eventually Kate wriggled further down until she was flush against the mattress, poised to make put her mouth and tongue to good use on Sarah Jane.

Much later, Kate had made tea (of course!) and sandwiches and they sat leisurely in the living area of the houseboat. Kate had slung on an over-sized tee shirt and foregone her underwear whereas Sarah Jane had fully redressed into her light grey skirt suit but remained barefoot. Kate made a point of draping herself over her companion and teased her for not relaxing.

"I do hope you're not going to turn up at the school dressed like that?" Sarah Jane asked Kate, only half joking.

"Of course not! What sort of person do you take me for?"

"I'm joking, relax. Isn't that what you just told me to do?"

"Ha ha, very funny. What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Nothing until tonight, why?"

"Did you want to come with me? You'd get to see Gordy that way." Sarah Jane's face was a picture, very much the epitome of a deer in headlights. "Okay, maybe not then."

"It's not…I like Gordy, I really do but this isn't… I don't do families and relationships Kate, I told you that when we started this."

"Woah, I didn't ask you to adopt him! I just thought you might like to say hello." There was an awkward moment of silence before either of them spoke again.

"Sorry, I just get a bit defensive."

"I'm not going to make you do something you don't want to do, especially when it comes to this," she gestured between them. "I've been there before remember, with Jonathan."

"I know, forgive me." Sarah waited a beat and then began speaking again. "Okay, why not? I'll drive you if you like?"

"Honestly, you don't have to just because we've had this discussion. I'm not going to take it as a personal slight against my son." Kate said it with a wry grin to make sure Sarah Jane knew that she was joking.

"Oh you! I mean it, I'd like to say hello to Gordon. I won't come back with you though, if that's alright?"

"Of course it is, I meant it too, about not making you do anything you're not comfortable with. I know where I stand with this…" Kate made the same gesture between them as before. It was difficult knowing what to call it, if not a relationship of sorts.

* * *

Kate's father lived on a large country estate with an extensive garden and six bedrooms. He had a study and Kate's stepmother Doris had a craft room packed full of fabrics and knitting paraphernalia. What on earth two people wanted with such a large house was beyond Kate but they seemed proud of it nonetheless. Gordon loved running around outside pretending that he was an aeroplane and was thrilled to learn that his grandfather had once been picked up by a UNIT helicopter in the very same garden. Gordy was full of questions about how big it was, how noisy it had been and how much mess it had made of the beautiful garden. Doris clearly hadn't gotten over that particular episode and it was evidentially a bit of a sore point between the otherwise blissfully happy couple.

Not only had Alistair acquired a very healthy pension from his long military career but he had a second from his time as a maths teacher at Brendan. And still he was on the UNIT books as a special envoy and travelled to Geneva at least once every six months on diplomatic business. Kate knew that he wasn't deliberately showing off his wealth, it had come at the cost of great personal sacrifice; his relationship with her and her mother, his first wife. For years, before he had reacquainted himself with Doris, Alistair had been alone and they had been some of the loneliest and most uncomfortable of his life. He was just the sort of person who wasn't meant to live alone.

Kate and Gordy had travelled down to the country estate one Sunday for the day and would leave just after dinner in the early hours of the evening. They both had school the next morning so they couldn't stay too late. It was a shame Doris hadn't been able to have any children of her own, she seemed so very maternal towards Gordy and obviously delighted in his visits. Alistair was still glowing with his relatively new found grandparent-hood and relished any time that he spent with the youngster. Each visit meant that he got to see more of the daughter he'd missed out on seeing grow up and learn more about her. He felt an instinctive love and kinship with her, they were so terribly similar after all, an integral part of him despite the missing years in between. However, there was so much left unspoken, unexplained and time and emotions had distorted some of that natural allegiance. But time could also heal and Alistair had faith that they would one day heal the rift between them and come back stronger than ever because of it.

While Doris was attempting to teach Gordy how to knit with the largest pair of needles Alistair had ever seen, he decided to take the opportunity to have some time alone with his daughter. They took a walk around the garden and he pointed out some of the plants they had put in since they had been there and what they were.

"Gordy said that Sarah Jane's been a bit of a regular visitor to you both. I'm glad you get along, she was a good friend to me way back in my UNIT days." Kate looked at his face carefully as she sought out any hint of it being a leading statement. She couldn't find anything but her defences were raised anyway. She shrugged nonchalantly and answered her father.

"We have a lot in common." At that, Alistair raised his eyebrows and Kate knew then that he _knew_ , but she wasn't going to make this conversation easy for him.

"Kate, about Gordy's father…?"

"What about him?"

"What happened between you? Why isn't he taking responsibility for his son?"

"What, like you did for me?" The statement shocked them both but it needed to be said, was long overdue in fact. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're well within your rights to say that because it's true. I put my job before my responsibilities, before two people that needed me the most and it was unfair. I regret the time I lost with you and your mother and the way I distanced myself from you both but I don't regret devoting myself to my job. I helped to protect millions of people from some of the most horrific things you could ever imagine. Saved people's lives. How could I possibly regret that?" Kate was suitably humbled for a moment. "So what's Jonathan's excuse? Why did he leave you to bring up Gordon alone?"

"Because I asked him to." It was said quietly because she had been frightened to say it aloud. The truth resonated in her ears and the terror at what her father was going to say about it was in her eyes.

"Go on."

"It wasn't what I wanted, it wasn't who I was."

"Marriage?"

"All of it; a child, him, commitment."

"Kate!"

"It's true, at least it was then. I don't regret having Gordy, in fact he turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. But not how it happened and with who. It was all such a horrible mistake."

"Please don't say that, you don't mean it."

"Oh do wake up Dad. You know, you've always known, otherwise why would we be having this conversation in the first place? You were even surprised to learn you had a grandson. Ask me, ask me what you want to know."

"I..can't."

"I'll answer anyway then. Yes, I've been spending a lot of time with Sarah Jane recently and we've grown very close. She's not the first and I don't expect she'll be the last either. So yes, I'm gay. I always have been really, despite some of the relationships I've ended up in. I was very fond of Jonathan but only ever as a friend. He knew about my preferences and he had preferences of his own. But one night, one thing led to another and….anyway he tried to do the 'honourable' thing but I turned him down. We attempted to make it work for a while but it was just awkward and made things more difficult. I offered to bring up Gordy alone and absolve him of any responsibility as long as he never laid any claim to him." Kate could see that her father was positively horrified by her admission and knew that he probably needed a few moments to take it all in.

"He agreed to it?"

"Yes. Don't get me wrong, he didn't make the decision lightly but he knew that it would have been terrible had we carried on the way we were. He wanted to travel, see the world and not be tied down to anyone at that point in his life. I'm not naive enough to think that one day he won't just turn up out of the blue, but hopefully that will be a long way down the line and I'll be better prepared for it." Kate knew that her reasoning was perhaps flawed and naive but the decision had been made. She couldn't honestly say that she regretted it and she was as happy as she felt she could be. Surely her father could understand that given what he had just said about his decision to put his career before his family?

"I don't really know what to say Kate. Surely the best thing for Gordon is to have his father in his life, no matter what has happened between you?"

"Why is it one rule for you and another for me?"

"I just don't understand why you would deliberately make life so much more difficult for yourself, for Gordy!"

"I'm not being deliberately difficult, in fact it's probably easier this way."

"For Gordy or for you?"

"That's not fair, especially coming from you." Kate ran her fingers through her messy hair in an exasperated gesture. "Look, I really don't want to fall out over this. I made my decision a long time ago, you just have to trust that it's the best thing for me and my son."

"How are you going to explain your… _friendship_ with Sarah Jane? Surely you can see that's not normal?" Kate's eyebrows raised sky high at that.

" _Normal_?!"

"Well, not 'not normal' you know what I meant."

"No, you meant it exactly as you said it. I'm not going to lie to him, children are very broad minded and accepting. It's the adults that put all sorts of restrictions on each other. But, at the moment there's nothing much to tell. Sarah Jane and I are friends who sometimes sleep together, it's not a proper relationship in that sort of sense so you don't need to worry about that."

"So you might, one day, change your mind? Settle down?"

"With a man?" Alistair nodded. "That's completely out of the equation and I probably won't with a woman either. I just…I can't see it being in my future. I'm sorry if that's disappointed you but I can't be something I'm not. I tried that and it ended up in disaster." There were still so many things in Kate's past that her father didn't know, perhaps shouldn't ever know. She may be a bright, accomplished scientist with boundless confidence and self assuredness but it didn't mean it had always been the case.

"It's not what I had hoped for you. I wanted you to be settled and happy have the family life that I wasn't able to give you growing up." It was what most parents wanted for their children, especially when they had made their own mistakes.

"But don't you see, I am happy, in my own way? What you want for me isn't what _I_ want for me, I'd be miserable otherwise."

"I'm going to need some time to take all of this in. I do love you Kate, that's not going to change but I can't quite get my head around all of this, not yet anyway."

"All I ask is that you respect the right for me to make my own decisions about my own life. I don't need your permission but I would really value your blessing. Besides, are you surprised? You're one of the most stubborn people I know, could I be anything other than your daughter if I wasn't the same?" The atmosphere dissipated a little at that and Kate looked right at her father. "Can I have a hug?" For all of her 31 years she was still his little girl.

"Of course, come here Tiger." Alistair opened his arms out to her and enveloped her into a fatherly hug. He had filled out over the years and was half a foot taller than Kate. Her feistiness aside, there was nothing like the safe, warm embrace of a parent, even from one who had been mostly absent from her life until now. That unmistakable bond between them was still strong, otherwise they wouldn't have had the impassioned argument in the first place. Alistair thought that the childhood nickname had never been more appropriate for his daughter, a real chip off the old block if ever there was one. He knew this was by no means the last time they would come to blows, perhaps they might even fall out again but they would always find their way back to each other. They had to, they were so intrinsically entwined with each other.


	2. Daemos Rising - The Aftermath

**1st November 2003**

Kate let herself into the house and sank back against the door after it had closed behind her. The exhaustion was plain on her face and she closed her eyes for the briefest of moments to collect herself. She needed tea and a long, hot shower; preferably, but not necessarily in that order. When she had answered Douglas's plea for help what she had just experienced wasn't quite what she imagined it would be.

"Kate?" The voice had come from somewhere inside the house, most probably the living room judging from the direction of the sound. Kate peeled herself off the front door and slowly made her way down the hallway and into the living room.

"Hello." A tired, happy smile graced her face upon seeing Beth lounging barefoot on the settee reading a book.

"My god, you look shattered! What on earth happened? Are you alright?" Kate let out a deep breath. Where in the world did she even try to begin? Could she even attempt to explain it rationally to someone who hadn't the faintest idea about UNIT and alien visitors to Earth? Kate wasn't sure she fully understood it herself yet. Something inside her gut told her that she couldn't, shouldn't, even begin to try. That she needed to seek some answers from her father first. But she could at least tell her about the state Douglas had been in and what he'd been through these last few years.

"I'm fine, it's just been a long couple of days." She stopped for a second and looked around the room, listening for any other sounds in the house besides the radio playing quietly in the background. A niggling worry settled in the pit of her stomach. "Where's Gordy?" Beth looked sheepishly at the blonde.

"Your father picked him up early this morning and took him back to his house. I don't think he was too happy about me looking after him while you were away." Kate threw her rucksack on the armchair and plonked herself down at the other end of the settee. She held her head in her hands in frustration. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him. He is his grandfather after all." Kate reached out and reassuringly patted Beth on the knee.

"It's not your fault, he had no right to interfere. I need to speak with him about something anyway. Did he say when he was bringing him back?"

"Tomorrow morning I think." In some respects it had worked out better this way. Kate would have a chance to relax after her time away, spend some time alone with Beth and then speak to her father about it all tomorrow with a much clearer head. She should have expected it really, considering that it had been half term that week and Gordy usually spent a couple of days with her father and Doris anyway. "Why don't you go upstairs, have a shower and get changed? I'll make some tea and maybe something to eat?" It was music to Kate's ears and she was glad that Beth had chosen to stay even though Gordy wasn't there for her to look after.

"Are you trying to say that I smell?" That had earned Beth a playful shove on her knee.

"Well you do look a frightful state and aren't they the same clothes that you went in yesterday?" Kate looked down at herself in her jeans, denim jacket and black top.

"Oh my goodness! How terrible, I hadn't realised." Kate had wanted to leave as soon as she had settled Douglas and left him with a promise to seek professional help for his drinking and depression. She had been desperate to catch the last train into Paddington so she didn't have to spend another uncomfortable night at the cottage. It wasn't that she didn't trust Cavendish to be a gentleman, despite his consuming crush on her, but the atmosphere was tense and awkward after what had happened with the Daemon and her duplicate. His feelings for her had been exposed in the worst possible way and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"What really happened to you? You weren't hurt in any way were you?" Beth of course was concerned and was imagining all sorts of awful scenarios at this point.

"No, I'm not hurt, I promise you. I will tell you once I've changed and perhaps over that tea and offer of food? I'm ravenous!" Kate used her best innocent face and Beth chuckled out loud.

"You're always hungry! Go on, scoot! Get in that shower and I'll see what I can rustle up for you." Kate stood up and leaned over to plant a grateful kiss on Beth's lips.

"Thanks love." Beth playfully slapped Kate's denim clad bum as she walked past and hoisted herself up from her comfortable position to prepare the tea.

* * *

Kate headed straight to the bathroom and turned the shower on full blast. She peeled her clothes off as quickly as possible and threw them into a ball in the corner of the room. After spending a penny on the loo she then stepped into the steaming shower and let out a hearty moan in pleasure.

She'd lied to Beth. There were large purple-blue bruises on her thighs and smaller, lighter ones all the way down her legs as well as some cuts and scratches. She'd been knocked unconscious in the garage and she could feel a sensitive spot on top of her head where she'd fallen. Fortunately it was covered by her hair but she knew that she wouldn't be able to explain away the rest. That was something to discuss with Beth later, much later.

Kate let the shower head soak through her hair until it was sodden. She then tried to run a hand through it and instantly regretted it as she came up against the multitude of knots that had built up over the course of the day. Kate stepped out from under the water and reached over to the window sill to grab a brush. She ran it through numerous times until all the knots had been removed. If only it was that easy to eradicate the knots from her muscles, particularly the ones in her back and shoulders. No way was she ever sleeping on a sofa ever again!

By the time Kate had finished and changed into a loose pair of jogging bottoms and oversized tee shirt, the almost too hot shower had done wonders for those muscle aches, albeit temporarily. She had managed to put her thoughts into some sort of order too, divided her experience into what she was able to tell Beth and what she wasn't without outright lying to her.

They had been together since the beginning of the year, Beth was an English teacher at the same school as Kate and they'd struck up a friendship of sorts almost immediately. Gordy had moved up a set and had ended up in Beth's class which had been a starting point for conversation. Kate had made a point of saying that she hadn't wanted any special treatment for Gordy just because he was her son and that she was also a teacher at the school. Of course, he could have gone to a different senior school in the area but Kate knew this one well, knew that it was a good standard and it was convenient too. Kate had moved on from teaching GCSE science and was now concentrating on the A-Level students. She supplemented this with a few lectures a month at one of the central London universities, an opportunity that she had only been able to take advantage of since moving to the centre of town nearly four years ago.

Her father had eventually got his own way and they had negotiated the purchase of a small townhouse in West London. She had conceded that the opportunities for Gordy and herself were greater there and although Alistair had been initially disappointed she had moved further away from him, he was thrilled he was finally able to help his daughter out in a practical way. Gordy had struggled to make friends when he was younger and had been slightly more introverted than he was now. She had to admit that he'd come on in leaps and bounds both within himself and at school since their move. The house meant that he could invite friends over to play and kick a football around in the small, postage stamp sized garden.

Beth had a shock of thick black curls on top of a closely cropped style underneath. She dressed similarly to Kate, casual loose-fitting clothing accented by choker necklaces and a string of piercings all the way up one ear. She wore dark make up around her eyes and dark red, almost black lipstick at school. Her wardrobe was predominately black, interspersed with other equally dark colours. She was a mixture of grunge and punk, a throwback from her teenage years, and it was quite easy to see what her father disapproved of. But appearances were deceptive and Beth was gentle and kind, some of her music taste was somewhat questionable but Kate could live with that. This was the first time Beth had stayed over without Kate being there and Kate had been upfront about the fact that she wasn't looking for anything serious or long-term, just for them to take each day as it came.

Things with Sarah Jane had come to a stop when it became apparent to Kate that she was far more invested in their relationship than she ought to have been, than she had wanted to have been. Somewhere in their three year… _acquaintance_ …. Kate had developed real feelings for the older woman and the casual nature of their relationship no longer suited. Kate had been more surprised than Sarah Jane, who had confessed that she had seen it coming a long time before it had all come to a head. It was an amicable parting and although not a permanent break in their friendship, communication between them had virtually ceased overnight. The last she had heard Sarah had taken a job with Planet Three, the broadcaster that rivalled the BBC and there was some messy business over a story gone wrong a couple of years ago. If Sarah had wanted to get in touch with her it wouldn't have been impossible so the fact that she hadn't spoke volumes to Kate.

Kate eventually went back downstairs and made her way to the kitchen/dining room as she followed her nose. A pot of tea sat brewing on the dining table as well as two mugs and a pint of milk next to it. She'd always enjoyed teapot tea better than those one cup tea bags, a much more authentic and satisfying experience in her book. Although she'd never pass up the offer of tea, in whichever form it came. Beth stood over the sandwich toaster in the kitchen area as she waited for the gadget to reach its allotted time.

"Ham and cheese do you?" Beth asked as she heard Kate enter the room.

"Perfect, thanks." Kate walked up behind her lover and placed her hands on her hips, bending her head forward to press a kiss to the side of her neck. Beth leaned back and relished the attention.

"Mmm… what was that for?" Beth didn't turn in the embrace, she didn't want to take her eye off the toasted sandwich and run the risk of the cheese oozing out and burning.

"Felt like it. Perhaps there'll be more of that later." Kate kissed the same spot again and then moved up to nibble on Beth's earlobe before she took her hands off her hips and took a step backwards.

"Tease!" Beth called out over her shoulder.

"You love it really." Kate said with a knowing tone. They were always to-ing and fro-ing with each other, burning hot and cold. Not that they'd had any arguments but they had both needed as much time alone as well as they had with each other. It seemed that Kate had found a good balance in this relationship and it was both comfortable and casual which suited her needs perfectly.

"The tea should be ready to pour now if you wanted some." The toasted sandwich was finally ready too and Beth was busily extracting it from the Teflon plates.

"Sugar?"

"Why thank you Honey."

"Very funny!"

"One please." Kate poured the tea, added a splash or two of milk and one sugar to Beth's. Beth brought the sandwich over to the dining table, placed it in front of Kate and sat down in the chair facing her. "I wouldn't eat it straight away, it's boiling hot." Kate nodded in acknowledgement and handed Beth her tea.

"Thanks again for this, I'm famished." Kate daren't tell Beth that she hadn't eaten all day. Not that Douglas had meant to be inhospitable, it's just that there hadn't been much in the way of food in his fridge. He'd only had himself to worry about for years after all.

"Feeling better after your shower?" At least Kate looked and smelt a lot better than when she had first arrived back home. Her hair hung in damp waves and her skin still had a red flush from the heat of the shower.

"Much."

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Of course Beth still wanted to know though luckily Kate had a version of the truth in her mind ready for this conversation.

"I already told you that Douglas had served with Dad in the army? And that he'd had a breakdown of sorts a few years ago, just after I got back in touch with my father?" Beth nodded, Kate had told her at least that much before she had left. "I visited him in hospital for a while after that. He'd been a good friend to Dad in the past and we'd all been caught up in some strange business a few years ago. So I felt that I owed him that much at least." That was putting the whole event mildly, Kate thought.

"Strange, how?" _Strange in the way that an alien race called The Great Intelligence masqueraded as spherical orbs or ivory chess pieces called a Locus and were hell-bent on controlling human beings for their own ends?_ Nope, Kate really couldn't have told Beth the truth even if she had wanted to. It made her feel a bit easier about lying.

"Just some fanatic cult that were harassing Gordy and me on the houseboat we used to live on. They were doing it to get Dad's attention because of his army connections. Anyway, Cavendish became embroiled in the whole thing, ended up betraying army secrets to keep the cult happy. Because of that he was discharged from the army and that's when he had the breakdown." Kate broke off a corner piece of her sandwich and popped it into her mouth after she had blown on it to cool it down. Even though her stomach had rumbled in anticipation, it was still a bit too hot to tuck into the whole thing just yet.

"Poor man." Beth said it with some genuine empathy. Of course it would have been difficult to have coped with losing an institutional career like the army and become a civilian overnight.

"Indeed. He's not faring much better these days I'm afraid. He doesn't have any family to turn to and he's been so haunted by his experiences he hasn't really been able to move on. He thought that as I'd been kind to him before, we had a connection and that perhaps I'd be able to help him."

"When you say 'connection' do you mean that he fancied… _fancies_ you?" Kate brought her mug of tea up to her lips and took a sip as she nodded in the affirmative. "So, what you're trying to tell me is that this man lured you to his remote cottage, miles away from your home and family, to get you into bed with him?" Kate nearly choked on her tea.

"It wasn't quite like that!"

"Did he try anything? He didn't force you to do anything did he?" Beth had leaned closer, put a hand on Kate's knee and looked right into her eyes to make sure she was telling the truth.

"No, no - god no! Honestly it wasn't like that at all. He just needed someone to persuade him to get professional help, that's all. I'll admit that it was all a bit weird once I realised how he felt about me, hence why I didn't want to stay another night." Kate put her mug down and laced her fingers with the ones Beth had placed on her knee.

"I'm not surprised. Why now? Why so long after the whole thing with the cult?" _Because he was reciting ancient incantations from a book on the occult and summoned the Daemon Mastho who was in the middle of a conflict with time travelling humans from the future called the Sodality?_ No wonder Kate was having to lie, it sounded ridiculous even to her own ears!

"He stole some equipment from the army, things that really ought to be returned. Hence why I need to talk to Dad, I don't want him to get into any more trouble. It's more important that he just concentrates on getting his life back on track."

"God, you are far too kind for your own good."

"I don't think so Beth, not really. Anyone else would do the same I'm sure."

"He knows that he hasn't got a chance in hell with you now though doesn't he?"

"Jealous much?" Kate smirked knowingly.

"You know what I mean."

"He's fully in the picture in regards to my sexual orientation, yes."

"Good."

"He really was very respectful and deeply embarrassed about the whole thing you know. It wasn't really him talking, the alcohol and depression made him more desperate for my attention." Not to mention that his mind had been temporarily taken over by Mastho.

"Are you sure he didn't lay a finger on you? Hurt you in any way?"

"Of course not, I would have told you. I promise. Although…." It was the perfect opening to bring up her hidden injuries, otherwise it would probably have ended up in an argument if she left it until later.

"Kate…."

"I had a bit of an accident, in the garage."

"What sort of an 'accident?'"

"I was looking for a wrench or something to open a door that was stuck closed. I hit my head on a shelf, fell over and knocked myself out for a bit." Well, at least that bit was true, without mentioning the pickled alien in the jar or running endlessly through the woods or underground tunnels.

"Kate!"

"Honestly, I'm fine. Just a bit bruised and sore. Sleeping on the lumpy sofa last night didn't help matters either."

"He didn't even have the decency to offer you a spare bed for the night?" Beth's tone was incredulous.

"He did, but he had a bit of a disturbed night so I offered to keep him company."

"What on earth am I going to do with you? In fact, don't answer that one. Go on, eat your sandwich. It sounds as if you need it after all of that." Kate certainly did, in fact she'd probably have a second as she was so hungry.

She glanced at the small window next to her, to the side of the house and noted that it was now dark. She wondered briefly if Douglas had decided to try to sleep indoors tonight or if he'd gone back to sleeping outside. She would ensure that appropriate people would be called to offer some sort of professional help, god knows he needed it. For now she at least had Beth for company and tomorrow she would speak to her father and get something done about the UNIT items stored in his garage. There were other things too, but at least for tonight she wasn't going to think about it any further.

* * *

"Tell me the truth, Dad. All of it, about UNIT and aliens and government secrets. I want to know what you did for a living all these years, what kept you so busy that you abandoned your family? What was so much more important than Mum and me?"

It was a hard thing for the accomplished and decorated Brigadier to hear but even he had to admit that it was long overdue. He was almost surprised that it hadn't been brought up in the eight years since he had been reunited with his only daughter. She'd been almost too accepting of the events that had brought them back together in the first place. Of course he'd softened some of the answers about aliens so she was aware of their existence beyond the highly inaccurate television portrayals. Anything outside of that, the intricacies of his time with UNIT, had been glossed over, until now.

"I can't Kate, you know that I can't." He implored her to understand, to leave it be and just accept that part of his life was not for her to be privy to.

"Not even for me? After everything I've just told you about what happened over the last couple of days?" Alistair had phoned at 8am to check that Kate had arrived back home safely and had said that he was bringing Gordy back home later that morning. Kate had decided to wait until they were face to face to tell him off for interfering in her childcare arrangements. Once he had arrived, Kate sent Beth and Gordy on an errand to purchase food and a handful of fireworks for Guy Fawkes Night the following week. It bought her time alone with her Dad so that they could talk. They each nursed a cup of tea in the living room.

"Whatever you saw, or you think you saw was just a figment of Cavendish's wild imagination. You know the man's ill, mentally unstable, you're just encouraging him." It was all terribly sad, Alistair had remembered Cavendish as a good, solid, reliable officer back in the day.

"Please don't patronise me Dad, you owe me more than that. What have I got to do to get you to open up? Join UNIT myself?" It was said flippantly, just to get a rise out of her stubborn soldier father but as soon as the words had left her mouth it was like a light bulb had been switched on inside her head. Both of them stared at each other in shock.

"Don't you dare...!" He doubted Kate would follow through on her threat anyway, he'd come to realise fairly quickly that she was a pacifist and hated anything to do with violence. Besides, she'd not been through the countless years of military training it would take for her to become anything resembling the type of officer UNIT would need. Starting the whole process at 38 years of age was no mean feat either.

"Why not? It's been good enough for you. So good you abandoned your family for it, so why isn't it good enough for me? Or is it that I'm not good enough for _it_? Not soldier enough? Not ruthless and reckless enough? I've done things that would make you see me in a different light, I'm not such a little girl anymore you know."

"There's little doubt about that!" Alistair knew that he shouldn't have said it, but Kate jumped on it anyway.

"So why do you keep treating me like one? I asked Beth to look after Gordy because I knew I would only be a couple of days. I trust her and so does he, so why undermine my decisions like that? Poor Beth felt caught in the middle."

"I'm just not comfortable with the idea of Gordon getting close to someone like her."

"And that is? An English teacher? A decent human being? A woman who expresses her individuality through her alternative clothing? Or by the, admittedly, questionable music she likes to listen to? Or is it the fact that she's a lesbian and we're having a sexual relationship?" Alistair had the decency to look a little sheepish but he still held fast to his point of view. "When are you going to understand that this isn't going to go away? I'm not going to magically become straight overnight. You're going to have to live with it eventually you know. And for the record, Gordy enjoys spending time with Beth, his increasing improvement in English is mainly attributed to her." They each took a sip of their tea and stewed in the heat of the atmosphere few a few moments. "Anyway, we've wandered off the point somewhat. What's UNIT really about? Why was Douglas so haunted by it all?"

"Kate, trust me, you're better off not getting involved."

"Like it or not I'm already involved. I meant it, if you won't give me the answers I'm looking for I'll go and find them myself. There must be civilian positions within UNIT? I'm a scientist, surely they'd find a use for me, otherwise how else would Douglas have found a pickled alien to steal?" Alistair grew nervous as Kate was seemingly one step ahead of him and had found a way to get herself into the Taskforce without having to compromise her beliefs.

"You're not a biologist." He thought that he would point it out for the sake of clarity.

"I'd be surprised if that was the extent of UNIT's research facility." She really was his daughter and far too clever for her own good. This had all the hall markings of very bad idea and Alistair felt helpless to stop it. The sound of a key in the front door signalled the end of their argument.

"This conversation isn't over Kate." Kate raised her eyebrows at him in a challenging gesture just as Gordy came bounding into the living room. He was full of excitement about Beth allowing him to buy a pumpkin to try for the first time.

* * *

The trouble was, the more that she thought about it, the more she wanted to do it. Teaching was fine, it provided a steady income and it fitted in around Gordy's school hours. But it wasn't satisfying, at least not anymore. She was intrigued and fascinated by what she had experienced at Cavendish's house and coupled with her previous experience of the unexplained, her interest had been suitably piqued. A buzz of excitement and anticipation bubbled up inside of her and it became too big of an idea to let it slip away.

The only trouble with UNIT being a top secret Government organisation was that there wasn't exactly a recruitment office where she could pop along to and ask for an application form. She'd tried a bit of Internet research and there were a whole host of blogs about conspiracy theories and the like but, unsurprisingly, nothing official. Judging by their last conversation, Kate wasn't inclined to go back to her father for assistance so she went to the only other person she thought she could possibly turn to, Douglas Cavendish.

Kate sat on the settee in her living room with the telephone tucked under her ear and tried not to wince at the sudden laughter she heard down the line.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" She admonished her unlikely ally.

"Oh, it's not that. Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh, not really. Do you know who your father is, what he means to UNIT?" Douglas said it in a slightly condescending way, as though Kate hadn't paid enough attention to something and now she was being quizzed on it.

"I know he's a Brigadier, whatever that actually equates to in respect of a job description I'm not really sure." Perhaps it was naive of her to have found his rank insignificant but she had never been interested in the more intricate workings of the military.

"He was one of the founding members of UNIT and was in charge of the entire Taskforce for many years until his retirement. He is the most widely respected and not to mention decorated officer UNIT has ever had. If you walked into UNIT HQ tomorrow they'd all know who you are in an instant; 'Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, daughter of The _infamous_ Brigadier.' You'd have people falling over themselves to employ you and you wouldn't even need to prove your qualifications. You'd probably move up the ranks quicker than you can ask for a pay rise too." Even though it sounded as though she wasn't going to have any trouble getting a job, Kate didn't much like the sound of it purely being based off her father's reputation. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it on her own merits, however long that might take. She wasn't afraid of hard work, otherwise what was the point in being there in the first place? No, she wanted to earn her place just like everyone else, even if it ended up being the long way round.

"No, that's not what I want. I am my own person. He might be my father but I don't want any favours in this endeavour."

"You carry the name Lethbridge-Stewart, it's not exactly conspicuous is it?" Damn, she'd not actually thought that far ahead and it was obvious now that he had said it.

"Then I'll change it, become someone else. I'll create a new identity, one entirely separate from his."

"You're really serious about this aren't you?" Finally it was beginning to sink in and Kate felt that she was finally going to make this real now that she had someone on her side.

"Deadly. I can no longer ignore the things that I've- that _we_ _'ve_ both seen. I want to find out the truth and be part of the solution. Dad won't talk to me about any of it, he's so closed about it all."

"He's not _allowed_ to tell you."

"I know that but it feels as though there's a chasm between us and this is the only way I can think of to close it. If I can understand even a fraction of what he's been through then maybe we can find some way of finally moving on from all those years apart and stop hurting each other with petty disagreements."

"You must love him very much to go to this much trouble?"

"It's a part of it, a big part but not everything. I feel like I can do more with my life, that I haven't quite fulfilled my potential. If that doesn't sound too pretentious?"

"No, no. I think I know what you mean."

"So you'll help me?"

"I don't know what I can do considering I've been discharged."

"Please Douglas, you're the only option I've got."

"Leave it with me, I still have some old contacts who owe me a favour or two. Find a way to get you an interview at least. After that you're on your own, I'm afraid my name doesn't carry any weight anymore, not that it did much in the first place."

"A chance is all I ask. They might not have any available positions or might consider me highly unsuitable anyway."

"PhD's in Chemistry and Physics? They would be mad not to offer you a job. Are you really sure you want to do this? It will change your life and you'll never be the same again."

"I'm sure. Anyway, enough about me, how are things with you?"

"They're good. Thanks for sorting out my…garage clearance."

"Is it all gone?"

"Yes."

"Did they say anything when they came?"

"No. I was half expecting to be frogmarched up to HQ and have to face another disciplinary hearing."

"You have Dad to thank for that. I don't know what he did, by the way. I just asked for you not to get into any trouble over it as long as everything was returned. Everything _was_ returned wasn't it, even that book?"

"Yes, the book's gone too. I can't thank you enough Kate, I really don't know why you keep helping me after everything I…"

"Nonsense, you did nothing wrong, not really. You were just a little… misguided, that's all. Now, what about that counselling, have you made an appointment with your GP?"

"A week on Tuesday, although I don't know what I'm going to say to her, how to explain the reasons for my breakdown, the drinking, the voices!"

"You might have to come up with a version of the truth that would be more appropriate. I know I had to tell Beth a couple of white lies when I got back home. The most significant thing was when you were discharged from UNIT, that's got to have an impact on anyone even without all the other stuff going on."

"You're right. I'll start with that and we'll go from there. I'll really try to help you too, I owe you at least that much. I think you'd be good for UNIT."

"Thanks, I hope so."


	3. UNIT

**June 2004**

Kate would never forget her first day at UNIT, it was the day the Tate Modern had been destroyed by an electron bomb. Not only was it a major event in the city in which she lived but she was directly involved in analysing the remains in the immediate aftermath. It was her first assignment for UNIT and guiltily she couldn't have been more excited. All major news agencies had attributed the blame to a generic terrorist attack, which specific organisation was apparently neither here nor there. London had a history of being a significant target and its inhabitants had a way of bouncing back and moving on with stoicism after each attack. This was the first time that Kate knew differently, that the perpetrators had been alien in origin and her task, as part of UNIT, was to try to pin down exactly which aliens and why.

Cavendish's contacts had eventually come up trumps and she had been requested to attend an interview in March. He'd been right in that they had practically bitten her hand off when she presented her qualifications. She had been asked about her initial thoughts on intelligent life in the universe beyond the human race and she'd presented herself as open-minded without being too knowledgeable. If they knew that she'd already had dealings with aliens they'd be able find out who she really was in an instant. She had attended a couple of induction and training courses to get the general gist of what UNIT was about and its origins. Of course her father had been mentioned several times, as well as his successor Winifred Bambera who was currently the Brigadier in charge of the Taskforce.

Kate had handed in her resignation to the school after Easter and worked her six week notice until half term. Beth had been full of questions about why Kate wanted to leave and what she was moving on to do. She'd also been upset that she hadn't discussed any of it with her beforehand and that she had found out along with her other colleagues. Admittedly Kate hadn't been proud of the way she'd done it but she hadn't the faintest idea of what to tell her. She'd been cagey enough in answering Beth's questions for her girlfriend to guess that she'd been head hunted by the Secret Service and Kate was happy to allow her to believe that. Of course she'd also wanted to know how and why she'd been head-hunted but Kate had managed to circumnavigate those questions as well. She was mildly concerned about how much easier she was beginning to find lying to the people closest to her and wondered if this is what it had been like for her father. No wonder living an ordinary family life in between missions had been so difficult for him to maintain. Not that it even came close to justifying it.

Her father, now there was a funny thing. He'd been dead set against her joining UNIT, had taken every opportunity to dissuade her from doing so until she got the call to say that she was in and asked when she would like to start. Nervously she'd taken him to one side and told him that she'd been successful, that 'Kate Stewart' was now part of the Scientific Research team at UNIT Headquarters in the Tower of London. His eyes had promptly welled up, hugged her so tightly that she could barely breathe and uttered words that she had been desperate to hear all her life; that he was proud of her. She still didn't fully understand his change of heart and why it had taken her joining UNIT for them to finally bond and begin to properly heal the rift between them but she wasn't going to worry about it too much. Of course some things never changed and their arguments had gone from 'no way are you joining UNIT' to 'you're wasted in a lab, let me use my influence and contacts to help you.' Kate had absolutely put her foot down. She explained how she wanted to do it on her terms, get credit for the work that she did not for whose daughter she was. Alistair had to concede at that but vowed help her in any way that he could. Kate couldn't see how that would be possible; he had been a solider, a military man and she was a scientist, behind the scenes of anything he would have had experience in, but she had thanked him for his support anyway.

So here she was, in a laboratory underneath The Tower of London no less (who'd have thought it?) with six other scientists beavering away over microscopes and test tubes filled with a range of chemical solutions. Fragments of the building that had been the Tate Modern lay numbered in perspex boxes off to one side, while soil and dust samples underwent various tests on one set of benches on another side of the room. Kate felt a little out of place and unsure of what she should start getting on with. Everyone else seemed so in sync with each other and knew where everything was and what they should be doing. She hadn't realised that she must have been staring at the hive of activity going on around her until someone addressed her.

"Hello, are you okay?" A young woman with long dark hair in a neat ponytail and thick, dark rimmed glasses had appeared in front of her with look of mild concern on her face. She wore a white lab coat over a patterned shirt that was tucked into a pair of corduroy trousers. Very old fashioned for someone so young.

"Hello, um yes…no…not really?" Kate responded absentmindedly and the young woman chuckled lightly.

"First day?" Kate nodded feeling like she was eighteen years old and starting her very first job. "You picked a good day to start! I don't suppose anyone has bothered showing you where anything is have they?" The woman seemed to be indirectly admonishing her colleagues so Kate felt a little better about not having a clue what she should be doing yet.

"Um no."

"Right then, first things first." The woman stuck out her hand and Kate shook it. "I'm Osgood; lab technician, book worm and certified nerd." Kate couldn't help but laugh, feeling relieved that at least someone had broken the ice.

"Comedian too?" Kate also had a quick wit but it would be some time before she felt comfortable enough to express herself through humour at UNIT.

"Yes, well there is that. Right, so do you want the guided tour?"

"What about the assignment, shouldn't we be getting on with that?" Kate understood the urgency of the task at hand, that people higher up the chain needed answers that only the scientists could provide.

"Yes, and we will. But it's more important you know where things are and what you're doing first." She didn't doubt the authenticity of the sentiment and saw that there was something older and wiser about this young woman far beyond her apparent years.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Okay, so…" Osgood looked Kate up and down for a moment, seemingly assessing something "…just as I suspected - tea drinker. Let's start with the kitchen, I'm gasping for a cuppa myself." It was said so nonchalantly, as though it were an obvious statement to make.

"How on earth did you know that?" Astonished, Kate wondered what other surprises she could look forward to on this extraordinary day.

"Educated guess." Osgood winked, grinned and headed off down a corridor just to the right of the main lab. Kate followed half a pace behind her and felt more confident than she had done earlier. "Hot water urn, tea bags, sugar and spare mugs. Personally I would bring your own in after today as there have been occasions where we can't tell where our science experiments end and the unclean mugs begin." Kate pulled a face at the thought and shuddered as she remembered one of Gordy's that he'd left in his bedroom for a few days. "If you did happen to want an occasional, _decent_ , cup of coffee, I have a percolator and a bag of grounds in my locker that I would be happy to share. The freeze dried stuff we have in little packets the cupboard isn't the best." Kate was once again left speechless at Osgood's kindness.

"I…thank you, that's very generous of you." The younger woman blushed a little and Kate observed that perhaps she wasn't so used to receiving compliments.

"Yes, well… just don't tell everyone, I'm a bit over protective of my coffee." That made Kate appreciate the gesture all the more. "Oh and there's a milk club, £1 a fortnight and everyone takes turns at buying it. I'm not in it as I have soya milk, unless you drink soya milk too?" Kate shook her head, she'd not been particularly fond of it, far too sweet for her tastes. Osgood started to get the things together to make them both a cup of tea so Kate decided to make small talk.

"Have you been working here long?" Osgood seemed to know her way around like she had been and she'd been conversing with their other colleagues quite animatedly beforehand.

"Nearly three years, after I'd completed my Master's degree."

"And have you always been based here?"

"Yes, cool isn't it? I love the fact that the tourists have no idea what really goes on here."

"Well, it was certainly a surprise to me. I'm Kate by the way, Kate Stewart." The new variation of her name still sounded strange to her ears but she supposed that she would get used to it in time. It was a necessary evil so that she was free to move around without being pigeonholed before she'd had a chance to prove herself.

"Oh sorry, that was terribly rude of me not to ask." Osgood blushed again and Kate thought it was incredibly sweet.

"No, not at all. You were busy making me feel at ease."

"Well this should relax you even more, here." Osgood handed a mug to Kate and the older woman took it gratefully. She noticed the silver band on Kate's ring finger and was caught starting before she'd had a chance to look away. "Does your husband know you're working for UNIT now?" Kate's eyebrows rose in surprise at both the assumption and Osgood's direct question.

"It's not… I'm not married. It's…it _was_ my mother's. It was the only finger it fit, I suppose I should have had it resized but I've never got around to it." Kate's voiced trailed off slightly as the unexpected sting of her loss came to the forefront of her mind. It was a fleeting feeling but enough for Osgood to have noticed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry and I'm sorry about your mum."

"It's fine, it was a few years ago." Kate had made a tentative peace with her mother not long after she had got back in touch with her father. Fiona had been mildly aggrieved by the fact that Kate seemed to be closer to Alistair, despite his absence for much of her early life and this was compounded by Kate's need for independence. They really hadn't had much time to get to know each other all over again before Fiona died suddenly of a heart attack. Kate deeply regretted their strained relationship but knew that it wouldn't have been an easy one even if they'd had more time.

"You know, they say it's bad luck to wear a ring on that finger." Osgood pointed out lightheartedly in an attempt to steer the topic away from something upsetting.

"I don't believe in any of that stuff! Besides, it's not really relevant in my case." Osgood didn't comment but she did file that snippet of information away for another time.

The next stop in the tour was the store rooms, where all the chemicals, test tubes, Bunsen burners and other equipment were kept. Kate had had to learn about a whole new range of elements and compounds that didn't belong to anything she'd ever heard of on Earth before. It was an ever expanding list as new alien species left traces of themselves behind for UNIT to discover.

There had already been a tip off that an Electron bomb (disguised at the London Mayor, Ken Livingstone) had caused the explosion. It would be her job to confirm this intelligence and work out just how big the weapon had been and who was behind it.

Osgood then took Kate around the tunnels underneath the tower; a rabbit warren of small rooms and offices, some locked, others wide open. Kate wasn't sure she'd ever remember where everything was as it all looked virtually the same! Osgood spoke a little about her colleagues as they wandered, careful to give a fair impression so Kate could make up her own mind what she thought of them.

That first week Kate had been completely at sixes and sevens with her new job. She knew that she was more than competent but felt a bit out of her depth at the same time. It was a brand new environment for her, the new girl all over again, and was on the back foot when it came to knowing about different alien species. Osgood and some of her colleagues could pluck these seemingly fantastical names out of thin air and immediately understand what they were taking about. Kate had taken to searching the electronic UNIT library during her breaks to gen up on it all. She researched Mastho to see what UNIT already knew about the Daemon. Most of the information had been redacted, deemed 'level two classification' a barrier she had come up against quite frequently. She'd also done some research on The Great Intelligence, Yeti, Chillys and the New World University and stumbled across her father's name more than once. Again, anything documenting a direct experience had been redacted and deemed too sensitive for her to access in her current position. She had a medium level security clearance due to the nature of her work as she needed access to certain information in order to corroborate the existence of or identify new aliens. It was enough for now. Osgood had continued to look out for her, making her feel welcome and at home despite being overwhelmed by it all.

Alongside other parts of the Taskforce, they had eventually pieced together the events of the Tate Modern explosion and attributed the plot to several alien species who had wanted to get their hands on the Tomorrow Windows. The windows had been part of a new art installation at the gallery which gave the person looking into it a glimpse of their future self. They were found to be alien in origin and should never have been on public display in the first place. The fragments from the building and anything left of the windows had been collected by uniformed UNIT officials and Osgood had explained to Kate that they would be kept in a secure storage facility in case they ever needed to see them again. Unfortunately there had been nothing left of the bomb, only traces of the electron atoms that were its key component.

* * *

 **November 2004**

Kate had taken the long way round home from work in order to clear her head. It had been an intense couple of weeks at UNIT HQ and she'd been reminded that it was a year since her ordeal with Douglas and the Daemon. It had made Kate think about why she had wanted to join UNIT in the first place and how much life had changed for her since then. She had spoken to Douglas occasionally since her arrival in the Taskforce and he had been genuinely interested in hearing about her progress. Having been on the front line, just like her father, he hadn't always understood what went on behind the scenes. Obviously Kate couldn't tell him everything, he had been discharged after all and if anyone found out she had been passing classified information onto him then that would certainly be the end of her career. Douglas had really sorted himself out; the counselling sessions had helped him to deal with the end of his UNIT career and move on to something new. He'd been inspired by Alistair and Kate and had made a move into teaching Physical Education. Working out at the gym and regaining his fitness had been a big part of his therapy and in turn had become his salvation. He'd even begun to move on from his crush on Kate, not that he had told her that of course, and he was grateful that they had managed to salvage a friendship of sorts from it.

Kate walked along Kensington High Street with her hands deep in the pockets of her jeans and coat wrapped tightly around her. There was a distinct chill in the air now that Autumn had settled in but she found it quite refreshing that evening. Her phone vibrated suddenly in her pocket, against the back of her hand, and she whipped it out to see who was calling her.

"Hello Dad, how are you?" She'd not spoken to her father since things had become manic at work but they were in contact by text (Gordon had sat down with him one weekend and taught him the 'proper' abbreviations for texts) every other day or so.

"Kate, we've got a problem." There was an urgency in the tone of his voice which immediately gave her a cause for concern.

"Why, what's happened?" Alistair could hear the sounds of traffic, Kate's footsteps on the pavement and the distant sound of a police car over the phone.

"Where are you?" Obviously this wasn't going to be the sort of conversation that was suitable for taking placing public and on the move.

"I'm just walking home, I'm a couple of minutes away. Dad, what is it? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just ring me from the landline once you're in."

"Okay." Kate pushed the 'end call' button and stuck her phone back into her pocket. She hurried home as quickly as possible. She thought about all sorts of horrible scenarios as she walked; what if her father was unwell? Was Doris alright? Had something happened to Gordy since his text earlier that evening? Kate arrived home and saw that all the lights were on in her house and breathed a sigh of relief, that most certainly meant Gordy had been in for a while but she called out to him as she let herself in anyway.

"Gordon?" She waited half a beat before footsteps thumped loudly on the stairs as he ran to greet her. Suddenly her arms were full of her 14 year old son. Gordy had grown since the previous year and he was getting on for being close to her height and would almost certainly overtake her in the not too distant future. She was lucky that he was still a tactile, loving child and she was blessed with hugs, kisses and even cuddles on occasion.

"Hi Mum, you're late?" UNIT didn't exactly keep office hours but working in the lab afforded her the opportunity to have a more balanced work life than she had expected. Gordon had been looking after himself in the evenings after school since September. He was sensible and Kate made sure he checked in with her when he arrived home, trusting that he had no reason to lie if he wasn't. She always made sure he had a dinner ready to re-heat and plenty of other food and drink in the cupboard should he want it. He went to a couple of after school clubs and played football with a club one night a week. She made sure they spent quality time together when she wasn't at work and she had always been very open with him. She was confident that he would tell her if there was a problem or if he was unhappy.

"Yeah, I got off a couple of stops early so I could walk for a bit. It's been a busy couple of weeks. Have you eaten?"

"Yes Mum, the dishes are in the sink. I'm just upstairs doing my geography homework."

"Okay. I need to call Granddad for a chat so I'll be using the phone for a while." Gordy went back up the stairs to his room and Kate made herself a cup of tea before she returned her father's call, she had a feeling that she was going to need it. She sat herself down in the living room, having grabbed a couple of slices of bread out of the fridge and haphazardly put some cheese in between.

"Dad, it's me." Kate tentatively responded when Alistair had picked up the phone. She wasn't looking forward to hearing whatever this conversation was going to be about.

"Kate, thanks for phoning back. Are you sitting down?" Her father had a flare for the dramatic and Kate just hoped it was all in the delivery and not the content.

"Yes, now just tell me what's going on." Her fear gave way to her impatience and she drummed her fingers against the side of her mug. The last few stressful weeks in the labs were more preferable to this anticipation. Then she heard her father take a deep breath and begin.

"Certain people at UNIT have discovered who you are. I can't believe it never occurred to me, of course they were going to do background checks on you before you were even offered the job!" Alistair knew that this was going to be a huge blow for his daughter, even though he personally thought she was making life much more difficult for herself in doing so.

"You mean they've known who I was, my connection to you, all this time?" Kate was disappointed by this turn of events and sunk deflatedly into the comfort of the armchair. It was a massive blow, to her confidence as well as her career prospects. She realised that it had been a silly notion to think that she had actually been good enough to have earned a position at UNIT without any help from her family connection!

"Not everyone, just a few of those in charge." Alistair was quick to reassure her that all was not lost, and it was just a slight hiccup. He remained confident that she would flourish at UNIT and that her efforts would far outweigh any potential nepotism.

"Why now? How did you find out?" It seemed strange, why after nearly six months at UNIT had this been made apparent now?

"Brigadier Bambera telephoned me personally this afternoon. She and the others apparently wanted to see if you had an ulterior motive, what you were going to do once you were in the Taskforce." Alistair had told Ms Bambera that she was way off the mark if she and her cronies (and yes, he knew that at one point he would have been considered part of that group) had thought that.

"And?"

"Well, it seems as though you've passed whatever test or trial period they set for you and then they decided to inform me." Bambera hadn't been too clear on what that benchmark had been and Alistair wondered if there wasn't more to it than she was saying but he wasn't going to tell Kate that.

"Why go straight to you, why not speak to me first? You see, this is why I didn't want anyone to know you're my father. Not that I'm ashamed of you, you do understand what I mean?" It was frustration more than anything for Kate. She acknowledged that she had been drawn into this other world of aliens and monsters through him but it had ignited her own personal interest and fascination in it. She had already seen plenty of new things by working in the labs and she wanted to learn more but only if she could continue on her own merits.

"Strangely enough I do." Alistair understood his daughter well enough to have an idea of her motives, after all they were closely aligned to his own.

"So, where do we go from here?" Kate sighed once more and wondered if she ought to concede defeat and resign from UNIT first thing in the morning, before she lost more face than she had already. However, in the last six months her interest had grown deeper and now that she had more than half an idea of what she was supposed to be doing, she was actually settling into it and enjoying her new job.

"Well, I'm assuming you still want to keep up this charade?" Alistair reasoned that now would have been a perfect time for Kate to be out in the open about it all. She'd earned her place in the scientific research facility fairly and she'd worked hard over the last few months. Surely if she climbed the ranks at this point, it wouldn't look like nepotism now?

"It's not a charade. I just don't want to be treated any differently to anyone else. If this is the result of only a few people knowing then can you imagine the sort of circus I'd be up against if everyone knew? Do you know how much pressure that would put me under?" Kate had heard her father's name come up frequently, sometimes in conversation and sometimes on old documents or case history records. He left the Taskforce over twenty years ago and if that was still the sort of level of attention his name and past exploits attracted, then she'd be forever known as 'The Brigadier's Daughter' and nothing else.

"But you could do so much more Kate, you're wasted in those underground labs." Despite their past history and those missing years, Alistair knew his daughter exceedingly well. She had been bright and dedicated to her studies at school and an accomplished scientist and teacher in her previous job. She really could do anything she wanted if she put her mind to it and slaving away over phials and analysing alien compounds didn't really seem to do that intelligence justice.

"I enjoy working there, I've got a good team and there's still so much to take in. I'm not ready for anything else just yet." It had been far more overwhelming than she had first realised and if it hadn't been for Osgood an the others' encouragement, she honestly didn't think she'd still be there.

"Maybe not now but when you are, surely this would make it easier?"

"Easier maybe but fair? I'm not so sure other people would see it that way. Please, I just want to do this my own way. I need you to support me on this." Kate implored her father to understand, although she knew that he did on some level, it was just that he was as stubborn as she was and wanted to help as best he knew how.

"I will, I do. Look, I'm driving up to London first thing in the morning. We have a meeting with Brigadier Bambera at midday. We can talk to her about what you want and how to handle this." He'd not seen his successor in a number of years and although a decent enough woman and suitable for the post, they'd had their share of disagreements over the years.

"Thank you Dad, I really appreciate it." Perhaps with her father on her side Kate might just be able to continue as before and this slight hiccup forgotten about in time.

* * *

Brigadier Winnifred Bambera was an officious looking woman. Stern, strong and serious; Kate could certainly see the military in her. Although, she definitely lacked a few people skills as Kate found her manner to be brusque and to the point. She could well imagine that the woman had endured a tough time as she rose through the ranks during her career; a woman in a man's world and all that jazz. But there was something earnest about her that instantly made her likable. She clearly had a lot of respect for her predecessor, although Alistair had explained to his daughter that it hadn't always been that way. Earlier that morning, Kate had offhandedly mentioned to Osgood that she had a meeting with Bambera and the younger woman had immediately picked up on the rarity of such an occasion. She'd asked gently if Kate was in some sort of trouble and if she could help in any way, perhaps even go with her for moral support? Kate then realised that she had made a faux pas, that perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned it and given some other reason for her long lunch break. She passed it off as nothing, that perhaps she just wanted to see how the 'new girl' was getting on.

"Surely you can understand my desire to be judged on my own merits? Not to receive preferential treatment and to earn my place at UNIT, just the same as everyone else?" Kate had immediately launched into her own defence argument. Not only was Bambera female, she was also of black heritage and Kate suspected that she also played for her team. Kate argued her point to her boss, hoping to appeal to the small part of her that could see they were similar on some level.

"I do, in part, but what about your personal safety? If everyone was aware of who you are then we would be better prepared to protect you from people who will try to use your connection against you. And believe me, there are unscrupulous people in this world who would do just that." Some of them from within UNIT no doubt, but Bambera wasn't going to mention that to Kate.

"But if people didn't know my true identity in the first place then I wouldn't be at risk." To move around freely was all she wanted, with no pressure to be anything other than herself and to progress her career at her pace and in the direction she wanted. If people knew who she was there would be an automatic assumption that she would follow her father's footsteps and that's not something she was interested in.

"People have ways of finding out these things." Bambera seemed to be speaking from experience and it briefly intrigued Kate.

"Only if you let them. Please, at least try things my way first. If something happens or it's deemed too risky then we can come out with it. But once it's out, it's out - no going back." Bambera left a pregnant pause while she seemingly weighed up things in her mind.

"Okay." The Brigadier sighed deeply and Kate grinned, she'd won the feisty Head of UNIT round! " _But_ I'm imposing some restrictions… and granting some freedoms. To keep this information contained I'm deeming your file level one classification, not even you will be able to access it. Only a handful of UNIT personnel can but on a 'need to know' basis and a note of this meeting will ensure that if they do access it, they won't divulge your real identity. In return, I will increase your own security level to three, just don't go around advertising it otherwise questions will be asked." Kate was impressed with that and it seemed like a good idea. "Your father told me that you've already been involved in incidents with aliens, outside of UNIT?"

"Yes, The Great Intelligence and a Daemon." Kate wasn't sure whether to mention the Sodality or not. Aliens were one thing but time travel was another. Bambera nodded her head thoughtfully.

"If you've had some previous experience with aliens, why did you choose to work in the research facility and not on the front line?"

"I've been a scientist for most of my career, it's what I'm good at. Besides, I'm not particularly fond of the 'all guns blazing' military attitude. I tend to find that science and not weaponry will help us find the answers we seek." Her boss seemed personally affronted by the inference that her men and women were not effective in their jobs.

"We need different ways of dealing with these threats and most of the time they _are_ threats. Sometimes our 'all guns blazing' attitude is needed and it works." Kate remained sceptical but she didn't want to disagree with Bambera as they'd just reached a reasonable agreement. "I think you'd benefit from a rolling program, spend some time in all different sections of UNIT, really get a feel for what we're about. I think you'd be surprised at what you find." Kate looked between her father and Bambera, weighing up whether they'd spoken more in depth than he'd initially let on.

"Has Dad put you up to this? Just like I said to him last night, I don't want advantages because of our relationship. I don't want to do something that someone else doesn't already have the opportunity to do." Just when it seemed to be going her way Kate felt like the rug had been pulled from under her yet again. Was it really too much to ask to simply leave her be and let her get on with her job?

"I admire your convictions Ms Stewart, I really do. From what people have told me, your work has been of an exceptionally high standard and it's clear that you are confident, outspoken and have some really strong people and leadership skills. I think UNIT can benefit from seeing more of what you can do. Think about it, you don't have to make a decision now. At any time you can give me the nod and I'll set the wheels in motion." It was a tempting offer; Kate already knew from her few months at UNIT that she was capable of more but she was also very aware of the fact that she had a very steep learning curve to climb at the same time. She also had to consider Gordy and that moving around the Taskforce might mean less sociable hours and less time at home. She'd already had sleepless nights over her parenting skills and priorities, she didn't need her job adding to it any more than it had done so already.

"I appreciate your offer and I promise you that I will consider it but not just yet. I feel that I have a contribution to make where I am and until such a time that I feel I can expand on that contribution I think I would prefer to stay there." Bambera gave Kate a curt nod in acknowledgement.

"You are certainly your father's daughter; you know your own mind." Kate detected a slight hint of admiration, and felt pleased that she'd somehow impressed her boss. "I'll consider this matter closed unless I hear anything from you to the contrary." She held out her hand and Kate shook it firmly. There was a split second moment between them where Kate would have sworn Bambera indicated some personal interest in her but, especially in her father's presence, it was over before she could know for sure. "Sir." Bambera addressed her former boss in turn.

"Alistair, please. Thank you for your time and understanding. I know my daughter is a stubborn soul but your trust and instincts are not misplaced. She is an asset to the Taskforce." Kate swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Her dad's praise in front of his colleague, her boss no less, meant a lot to her.

"Out of interest, have you heard from _him_ recently?" Bambera asked Alistair inquisitively, there was no need to mention the man by name, they both knew instantly who she was talking about.

"No, I haven't. Not since that business with the Pterodactyl in Wales, still have no idea what happened to it!" He knew better than anyone that the Doctor was unpredictable when it came to his movements. It had been so much easier back in his day when the Time Lord had been exiled on Earth by the rest of his race. Those days were long since behind them and the Doctor had been through several faces since then.

"You know that he was present when the Tate Modern went up six months ago? I don't know whether he saved us from something worse or if he just happened to be in the area. In any case, he didn't stick around to let us know either way." Bambera hated nothing more than a mystery, especially when it appeared the Doctor was involved somehow.

"In my experience, The Doctor never 'just happens' to be in the area! I'm sure that he will come back one day and claim any credit that's due." Kate looked between them as though they were talking a foreign language and Bambera eventually picked up on it.

"Ah, I take it you haven't yet been treated to tales of your father's adventures with The Doctor?" Kate shook her head.

"I've kept my vow Brigadier, I've not discussed anything confidential with my daughter." He'd not done it deliberately, it was just that it hadn't come up in conversation between them. Kate had occasionally asked him questions about cases she stumbled upon and he had given her some insight without compromising himself, he just hadn't realised until now that the Doctor had been absent from those conversations.

"His file might be at level one classification but The Doctor's existence is well documented and known throughout the Taskforce. I'm surprised that you haven't heard anything about him until now."

"I have heard a little about him, just not that he was so closely affiliated with my father. I've got the impression that the labs are mostly forgotten about when it comes to the grapevine." There was little crossover between the laboratory and what went on in the wider Taskforce and most of the scientists preferred it that way; their curiosity about alien life satisfied without getting involved in the more dangerous aspects of working for UNIT.

"Well, it seems you have some catching up to do. I think it's more than appropriate for you to inform your daughter about your old pal. Just don't go giving some of our secrets away." In many circles Alistair was regarded as a close personal friend of the enigmatic Time Lord. Alistair had recruited him as his scientific adviser during his exile, practically making him his boss! They'd rubbed up against each other the wrong way occasionally but they always managed to save the day in the end. Of course Alistair knew that the Doctor picked up many companions along his travels, both human and alien alike but they had kept in contact, albeit sporadically over the years since.

He'd learnt a lot from his friendship with the Time Lord, to look at the world through a different set of eyes, a pair that had seen many things that he could never quite imagine. It had been the Doctor's influence that had made him understand that science would help UNIT to evolve and protect the Earth and its inhabitants by preparing for future incursions. Alistair's military history didn't lend itself to being completely swayed by the non-aggressive approach but that was something that Kate had seemed to fully embrace in pursuit of her career endeavours.

* * *

Kate returned to the lab after saying a quick goodbye to her father. She got on with her work in relative silence as she ruminated on what Bambera had suggested to her. There was most definitely something about the proposal that appealed to her, that working in different areas of the Taskforce would give her a greater working knowledge and experience to draw on in the future. It just wasn't what she wanted to be doing at this point in time. After a while, Kate took her mug and made her way over to Osgood who was sat at her desk, bent over her laptop and looking in thought at some test results on a spreadsheet. She hovered next to her for a few seconds to allow the younger woman some time to notice she was there without startling her.

"Kate!" Osgood looked up from her work smiled up at her colleague once she realised who it was.

"Hi, sorry to disturb you. I was just wondering if I could steal some coffee?" Kate would often make a joke of sharing Osgood's coffee because her younger colleague refused to allow anyone else in UNIT the same privilege. She made a mental note to buy her some really expensive beans for Christmas in a few weeks' time.

"Of course you can, I'll come with you and have one myself." Osgood put enough coffee in her percolator for two and they went off to the kitchen together. "So, what happened with the Brigadier? You're not in any trouble are you?" Osgood had never been interested in idle gossip and UNIT staff thrived on it just like any other ordinary workplace. However, she was concerned about her colleague and fast becoming friend.

"No, nothing like that. She really did just want to see how I was getting on. Seemed happy with me so far, I think." Kate's lies just slipped off the tongue these days and rarely did she feel guilty about it but she also felt a mutual kinship with Osgood and did feel sorry that she couldn't let her in on her secret. She'd considered it, of course, but this latest blip with the Brigadier had proved that she really needed to keep a tight reign on the truth for the foreseeable future.

"Of course she is, you're brilliant! You've picked up things so quickly." Osgood blushed a little and berated herself for being overenthusiastic and possibly even patronising. She was honoured to have been the person Kate had sought out for advice and reassurance along the way. But she could also see that Kate was bright and brilliant in her own right and had an inkling that she wouldn't be hanging around in the obscurity of labs with the rest of them for too long.

"Thanks to you. I don't know how I would have made it through the last few weeks and months without your help and kindness. I was wondering, perhaps I could take you out to lunch one day next week to say thank you?" Kate found herself really meaning it and wanted to make a friendship outside of the Taskforce work between them. She didn't have many friends and Beth had all but disappeared from her life once UNIT and its secrecy, not to mention some of the odd hours, kept getting in the way.

"That's unnecessary but it would be nice to have lunch out anyway." Osgood blushed in embarrassment. She quite admired the older woman and felt unworthy of the attention and gratitude she had bestowed upon her. Osgood was never the one people usually wanted to be friends with; her UNIT colleagues tolerated her well enough but they often found her too serious or different for their tastes. Besides, she always seemed more comfortable alone and usually holed herself up in a quiet corner of the lab to concentrate on her own work. She was always pleasant and courteous to the others but just preferred her own company. Kate had seemed to be the exception to the rule in more recent times.

* * *

They took a walk over to St Katharine's Docks and stopped at the pub for lunch. It wasn't often they got out of the Tower and had anything other than homemade sandwiches hunched over a computer or on the hoof in between meetings. They sat at a two person booth off to one side of the pub so they had a chance to talk in relative privacy and took a few moments to peruse the menu. Kate hadn't taken long to think and placed the menu flat on the table once she'd reach a decision.

"I think I'll have the chicken salad wrap, it comes with chips and coleslaw. What about you?"

"Same but the veggie option."

"Oh, are you vegetarian? How come I didn't notice that before?" Kate felt disappointed in herself that she hadn't realised something so fundamental about her colleague and the woman she was beginning to consider a friend.

"Oh no I'm not, I just don't feel that I have to have meat all the time. I quite enjoy having a vegetarian meal every so often." Osgood was actually quite adventurous when it came to food and different cuisines if only people bothered to ask her something about herself every once in a while.

"That's fair enough I suppose. It comes with a drink too, what would you like?"

"I'll just have a coke thanks."

"Can I tempt you to have an alcoholic one? I'm going to." Kate had something of a naughty schoolgirl tone to her voice and a jaunty grin to accompany it.

"We shouldn't, we've got to go back to work afterwards!" Osgood wasn't really as shocked as she made herself out to be but hadn't really considered having a drink during the working day before. Then again, she hadn't been out to lunch with a colleague like this before either.

"Go on, how often do we get a chance to do this? Unless you're teetotal?" Osgood shook her head and Kate was relieved that she hadn't offended the younger woman.

"Okay, but just a small one. I'll have a medium white wine please." Kate got up and went to the bar to place their order.

Osgood felt oddly nervous in Kate's presence, they'd been working with each other for six months now but were at that stage where they still didn't really know that much about each other outside of work. Kate had a relaxed, almost casual nature about her which should have put Osgood at ease, instead it only made her feel more anxious. While she had begun to think of her colleague as a friend, at the back of her mind she'd started to realise that she was developing a bit of a crush on the older woman.

They had just seemed to click from day one and bounced off each other well. There had been a 'eureka' moment a couple of weeks ago when Osgood had been struggling to find the solution to an experiment she had been working on for a while and Kate just happened to peer over her shoulder. She had made a suggestion and it started off a chain reaction of other ideas. They'd bantered back and forth, getting increasingly animated as the ideas grew and took life. It had been an amusing and worthwhile interlude and their colleagues had ended up looking between them bemusedly. Something had changed between them from then on, their burgeoning friendship acknowledged and Osgood's crush had taken root.

Kate came back with their drinks, a pint of ale for herself and the white wine Osgood had requested, and they clinked glasses before taking a first sip. Osgood intended to stick to her usual method of holding back and not reveal too much about herself, lest her lunch mate thought her too strange and then reconsider their growing friendship, but Kate had a way of making her open up and before too long they were picking at their lunch in between a deep and meaningful conversation.

"What about your family, you don't talk about them much?" Osgood shrugged her shoulders in a practised faux-casual manner.

"There's not much to say really." Kate thought there was a story there somewhere and she knew all too well the complexities of navigating family relationships.

"Do you not get along?"

"We do and I'm very close to my dad but not so much with my mum or sister. They don't seem to appreciate my… _eccentricities_ _…_ as much as he does. Don't get me wrong, I do love them but I haven't lived with them for some time so it doesn't really bother me. They live out in Hertfordshire so I don't often get to see them anyway."

"Families are funny aren't they, bring you up to have independence and your own mind and then can't understand why you choose your own path!"

"You sound as though you're talking from experience?"

"Yeah, I had some similar problems when I was younger and ended up not speaking to either of my parents for a few years. I lived alone with Gordy on a houseboat when he was very small." Osgood had already gleaned some information about Kate's son from small conversations they'd had around the labs.

"Wow, a houseboat! What was that like?"

"I loved it. I felt free, not being tied to one place for too long. Made me very independent and able to fend for myself."

"It sounds like a great experience. Did you make your peace with your mum before she died? What about your relationship with your dad now?"

"My parents split up when I was five, mostly because of Dad's all-consuming job. I just about made it up with Mum in time but because she couldn't quite forget the history, she wasn't so keen on the really good relationship I'd developed with my dad. We're very close, even though we still argue about lots of things, we manage to sort it out eventually. I think it's the army in him." It was a number of other things too but Kate didn't really fancy getting into any of that there and then, she and Osgood were still negotiating their professional relationship into a more personal friendship.

"Oh, my dad was a military man too." For some reason Osgood didn't want to reveal her family connection with UNIT at this moment in time. She wasn't ashamed and she had no real reason to keep it from Kate but it was just a feeling she had.

"What a strange coincidence!" They laughed together for a few moments before Osgood felt strangely compelled to continue her explanation. This friendship thing was beginning to have quite an effect on her!

"I argue with my mum a lot, she doesn't understand me at all. I'm so different from my sister, she's the pretty, feminine, popular one and I'm the studious, nerdy loner." Osgood had more than reconciled herself with who she was, it was just other people that seemed to have a problem with her. She held fast to her convictions and never pretended to be anything other than herself. She was proud of herself for having that integrity but it did mean and friendships and relationships were few and far between.

"She didn't say that to you did she?" As a mother herself Kate couldn't imagine ever valuing one child over another, although as a mother of one she didn't really have anything to compare it to.

"Not in so many words but I can read between the lines."

"Well, from what I know about you so far, you have many wonderful qualities. You're certainly popular around the labs, everyone knows who you are and they seem to have a great respect for your work. And if you want my honest opinion, I think you're gorgeous - but you can take that or leave it as you wish." Osgood couldn't help but blush deeply. Kate had said it so flippantly that she knew she was just saying it to make her feel better and didn't mean it in the way she hoped.

"So what happened to make you fall out with your parents?" Osgood asked her friend curiously, turning the spotlight around for a few moments while she recovered from the unexpected compliment.

"It's a long story but basically I had a few years of rebellion where I wasn't exactly the most well behaved of people. I hung out with the wrong crowd, went drinking until the early hours, experimented with relationships, that sort of thing. I suppose I was trying to find myself, understand who I was and what I wanted. I'd been studious and bookish for my entire childhood and young adult life, I was sick of living up to other people's expectations. Mum thought I was throwing my education and my intelligence down the drain but strangely enough I managed to keep up with my studies and passed all my exams with excellent grades." Osgood had a hard time imagining Kate as a rebel; she was well spoken, well educated, sensible and seemed so normal and down to earth.

"I suppose most young people go through a phase like that at some point." Osgood hadn't but she had a sister who could deflect the spotlight from her which made her teenage years a lot easier.

"Maybe, they both had a difficult time accepting the fact that I'm a lesbian, Dad still does to be honest." Osgood's eyebrows rose skyward and Kate looked directly at her, almost challenging her to react or accept, whatever her choice was going to be. While Kate couldn't tell Osgood about her father, she did feel that their friendship had evolved enough to trust her with this information about herself. An awkward silence reigned for a few moments before Osgood responded.

"Me too." It was said in hushed tones, almost as though she hadn't actually planned on saying it out loud and then once she realised she had, Osgood began laughing. It was Kate's turn to look surprised but joined in with the laughter once she'd recovered herself.

"No, really?"

"Honestly."

"Well I never!"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What about Gordon? How come…?" Kate shouldn't have been surprised and many people she had met over the years had been curious about the fact that she was so sure and upfront about her sexuality but that she was also a mother. She took the time to explain what had happened with Jonathan, not that she was especially proud of how she handled the situation at the time but she felt that in the spirit of their burgeoning friendship she would be as honest as possible. Kate definitely felt a connection with Osgood, a kindred spirit if ever there was such a thing. On reflection the suggestion of lunch out together had been a genius idea and cemented their friendship for the months and years to come.


	4. UNIT - Exposed

**Early 2006**

"Have I done something wrong?" Gordon asked his mother after she had requested they sat down for a chat.

"You tell me, is there something I should know?" It was slightly mean of her to make him think otherwise, but it covered all bases in the eventuality that he had actually done something that she should know about.

"No, of course not!" The young man, for that was now what he was at sixteen years of age, was quite indignant at the suggestion.

"That's alright then. Actually it was me I wanted to talk about." Kate settled herself more comfortably on the settee and relaxed her posture so that Gordy didn't get the impression something was wrong. "I've been offered the chance to go on a development programme at work. In a way it's a kind of promotion."

"That's great Mum! I'm so pleased for you." Gordy had been fully supportive of his mother's career so far anyway, but to be honest he was just happy that she was happy.

"Thanks love, there's a bit of catch though; it would mean much longer, more unsociable hours and probably involve some travel, both within the UK and abroad. I know you've got your GCSE's coming up in the next few months so I understand if you wanted me to be around." There was never going to be a right time for Kate to start on this path in her career and she'd held off for as long as she felt able to. The urge to move on had become persistent over the previous six months and she'd known that she had to make the decision sooner rather than later. Kate felt that she'd done as much as she could in the labs and had seen her fair share of space debris and alien chemical compounds.

Similar to the feeling when she first wanted to join UNIT, there was an itch that was begging to be scratched, a feeling that she was capable and destined for more than what she was currently doing. She had formed great working relationships with the team and her friendship with Osgood had grown from strength to strength but it hadn't been enough to retain her professional motivation. The more she was exposed to, the more she wanted to know.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Kate had to give her son a lot of credit for his intelligence; he usually saw right through her and this was no exception.

"I'll confess that yes, I've already accepted the job. In fact, I requested the opportunity myself but if you really have a problem with it then I'll withdraw. We've always worked together to have a good, honest and open relationship so I'm not about to stop now. Tell me what you're thinking." Kate sat up, leaned closer to Gordon and rested her elbows on her knees. It was a classic 'I'm listening' pose but it usually worked to emphasise that she was genuinely interested in his opinion.

"It's fine I suppose." Gordon paused for half a second, seemingly weighing it up in his mind before continuing. "No, really I am pleased for you. I just wish you'd tell me more about what you do; all this top secret government stuff just makes me worry sometimes." Kate had a sudden moment of clarity where she realised that she had been treating Gordon the same way that her father had she and her mother. He was owed a lot more than some flimsy excuses and throwaway comments about the Official Secrets Act.

"Okay, that's probably fair enough. Obviously it wouldn't be top secret without good reason, you do understand that?" Gordy nodded his head. "Right, well what I can tell you is that we, that is UNIT, works just outside the government to protect the country from all sorts of threats. Do you remember that imaginary friend you had when you were little, Danny? He seemed very real didn't he? In fact, you probably thought he _was_ real?" Kate was fairly certain she shouldn't be telling Gordy any of this but she felt she owed it to him nonetheless.

"I did see him! I can still remember what he was wearing." Gordy had drawn lots of pictures of his friend Danny and often shown them to his mum and granddad. Kate had tried to destroy them all as soon as she could, still shaken by what she had experienced with the Great Intelligence and her first exposure to anything like it.

"What if I was to tell you that I believe you? That he _was_ real but an alien, as in an Extra Terrestrial being?" Gordy looked confused so Kate elaborated. "I've been working in the science division of UNIT for the last couple of years to analyse previous alien attacks and prepare for new ones. This programme will enable me to see all the different parts of the organisation, to understand how it all fits together."

"Wow, so aliens really do exist?" Kate nodded her head in confirmation. "That actually makes a lot of sense. Hang on, didn't Granddad used to work there as well?"

"Yes, but he was predominantly in the military division."

"I thought you were against that sort of thing? Why would you want to work there now?" How to explain it when Kate barely understood it herself? She could see all the good UNIT did as an organisation but the military aspect was always going to be her sticking point.

"You're right, I am against using violence but to change the way the organisation operates I need to understand how it works from the inside." Gordy seemed to think about it for a moment and then looked up at his mum.

"And that's something you want to do?" Kate didn't quite know where this path was going to take her; all she knew was that it was something she felt she had to do.

"I'm not sure but I think so, yes."

"Okay, it's cool. I do have another question though."

"Go on."

"When are you going to find a girlfriend and settle down?" If Kate had been drinking a cup of tea it would have been all down her front at Gordon's question.

"You cheeky sod!" She laughed it off and hoped Gordy wouldn't dig too deeply.

"I'm being serious. Work's great and everything but I want you to be happy too." The thought behind his words seemed to be genuine and Kate felt abashed by her son's perceptiveness.

"I _am_ happy. I've got you, your Grandfather and Doris plus work. I don't need anything else in my life just now." It wasn't quite true but Kate hoped that Gordy would buy the explanation.

"Everyone needs someone; someone to talk to, laugh with, share stuff with." Kate had to admit that she'd enjoyed that aspect of her friendship with Osgood. They'd shared meals and had a good laugh with each other over the last year or so and it was really nice to speak with someone who understood her job and the quirky things about UNIT in general. But she hadn't quite been able to be herself, particularly in respect of her deeper connection to UNIT and her father and she knew that she was always holding something back. It made her feel like she was deceiving her colleagues and her friend but she wasn't ready to reveal the truth just yet.

"That's what I have you for." Gordy was enough for her for now and she knew that it was important she was there to support him through his upcoming exams and into further education.

"It's not the same and you know it!" Damn and blast! Kate realised that she'd been found out and wondered how to circumnavigate these awkward questions from a teenager. She thought that she ought to try turning the conversation around to reflect the spotlight back on him.

"And what about you, is there someone special in your life?" Kate said it in a very knowing, sly way and Gordy, to his credit, didn't appear to be overcome with shyness or embarrassment.

"Stop avoiding the question." The young man certainly seemed to be able to read his mother well.

"Says he who won't answer mine!"

"I think we should agree to disagree on this one." The banter between them was natural and fun but Kate did wonder if she was putting too much pressure on her son to be more grown up than he should be at this age.

"At last, a sensible suggestion!" Kate paused and reached out to squeeze Gordon's hand. "Are we okay?"

"Yeah, go ahead and change the world. Just stay safe while you do it."

"No one would ever believe you're only sixteen, when did you become so grown up?"

"That's probably something to do with being an only child and being abandoned to look after myself in the evenings for the last few years." Kate's face fell as some of her deepest fears had been voiced out loud. She'd always been concerned that she wasn't being fair on Gordy and selfish to want to have a satisfying career with UNIT. "I'm _joking_ Mum, honestly you do take things too seriously sometimes!" Kate was temporarily placated but she knew it wouldn't stop her worrying deep down.

* * *

 **Early 2009**

As expected in her new role, Kate had the opportunity to frequently travel all over the UK and she had even been asked to visit UNIT Central Control in Geneva a couple of times. She had met with scientists, soldiers and engineers; all sorts of personnel that came under UNIT's remit. Bambera had been right, it truly was an eye opener but Kate was still a long way from being convinced that the military way was always the _right_ way. She just needed a visionary with a certain kind of willingness and conviction to change the Taskforce for the better; but so far Kate had not met anyone with those sorts of credentials. She of course spoke to her father about her experiences and through their conversations and his anecdotes about working with The Doctor and his military experiences, their ideals about UNIT somehow, miraculously, met in the middle. Alistair was of military standing and would always choose what he knew best and was most confident in. However, if working alongside The Doctor had taught him anything, it was that sometimes science and clever, strategic thinking could yield the same, if not better results. Alistair no longer had the power of rank or strength of enthusiasm at his time of life, but he could see that Kate was in just the right position at the right time to really do something amazing. If only she could see it herself.

Kate's confidence in her own abilities outside of a lab and away from a Bunsen burner had increased considerably during her three years in the development programme. She had contributed to large-scale interventions with strategies and her ability to think outside of the box at a moment's notice. Her abilities hadn't gone unnoticed by her superiors and she found herself being increasingly tested. It was while she was away in Glasgow in 2009 dealing with what was left of Torchwood Two that everything went a bit crazy down in London and regrettably her father was at the centre of it!

Ross Brimmicombe-Wood had replaced Winnifred Bambera as Head of the British contingent of UNIT shortly after Kate started on the development programme. She hadn't had much to do with him and had been away from the Tower of London for several months. So it came as a great surprise to learn that he had been a plant by the rival agency, Internal Counter-Intelligence Service (ICIS). There had been a plan to replace UNIT officers with ICIS agents, eventually ousting UNIT from sole control of dealing with all things alien. Brimmicombe-Wood faked his own kidnapping and was temporarily replaced by Robert Dalton who then had to deal with the fallout from the ICIS coup. During which time, Alistair and Colonel Emily Chaudhry spontaneously exposed the truth about UNIT at a press conference and revealed its remit for dealing with extra terrestrial visitors to Earth, protecting inhabitants from those who wished them harm. Thus confirming the existence of alien life and the entire organisation in the process. Emily Chaudhry eventually replaced Dalton as head of UNIT shortly after his untimely death.

Kate had heard the news from her immediate superior at the time and was astonished at what had been going on under their noses all this time. She'd been hauled in for questioning as to whether she had known in advance that her father was going to expose UNIT to the media, which of course she hadn't. They scrutinised both her current and historic activities, as well as her father's, just to flush out any other ICIS personnel hiding in plain sight. She hadn't been able to get too involved as she was right in the middle of dealing with the Torchwood mess and had to stay in Scotland for at least another few weeks. It frustrated her no end and barring a couple of very quick telephone calls to her father, they had been unable to discuss the situation in any detail until after the event.

* * *

"Do you have _any_ idea of the sort of mess you've left behind?" Once she was back in London, Kate confronted her father about his actions which lead to the UNIT being exposed to the public. It didn't feel as strange as she expected it to; she was now becoming a major player within its ranks and it was now part of her remit.

"I think I probably do, yes." Alistair was as bold as he ever was, he may have been 79 years of age but he wasn't past it yet!

"Dad, don't get pedantic with me." Kate knew that he was deliberately being obtuse, she expected nothing less really. But he eventually gave in and decided to have a proper conversation with his daughter about recent events.

"I'm not going to say that I regret what I did. Yes, I exposed UNIT but I also saved it in the process. Or would you rather be working for ICIS now instead? You seem to forget that I practically built the Taskforce up from nothing. It's my baby and if anyone threatens it then I will protect it by doing anything that's in my power to do so." In truth Kate understood the sentiments behind his actions and she couldn't really blame him. It just left her and the whole organisation in a very awkward position.

"How do you think people are going to react to finding out about aliens and that there's been a top secret government organisation to deal with them for over thirty years?" UNIT had been compelled to hastily set up a press office for dealing with the thousands of requests for quotes and confirmation that what Alistair and Emily had claimed was true. There had been dozens of top-level meetings, internally and some with Geneva and other UNIT contingents across the world to discuss exactly what could be disseminated to the public and what needed to remain undisclosed. Kate had sat in on meetings with the Prime Minister and heads of other Government Departments to ensure that they were all briefed before the rest of the world heard about it.

"Probably the same way they've dealt with some of the more recent alien invasions that UNIT hasn't been able to contain so well; ignorance, disbelief and maybe some acceptance." Kate had to concede on that point, there had been numerous events, particularly since she'd been working for UNIT, that had been fairly obviously alien in origin and yet the general public had chosen to remain ignorant of it.

"You realise that this is probably going to expose me too?" Kate had worked so hard up until this point, she had largely remained under the radar and been accepted as a person entirely separate from her father. Only the top-level UNIT personnel had any idea of her true identity.

"And what would be so bad about that?" Alistair had understood his daughter's need for independence and to get by on her own merits, but he still held firmly to the belief that she was capable of far more if only she allowed him to pull a few strings and use his influence to help her on her way. She always did like doing things the hard way and he hated to see her stumble and fall.

"After this? Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly proud of you Dad and I can understand why you did what you did. But I don't think it would help my career, _my reputation_ , if someone linked the two of us together in the wake of this event." Kate thought it sounded harsh and ungrateful, even to her own ears but she felt that she needed to get the point across on this.

"You might not have a choice and I am sorry for that. But I stand by my actions Kate and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I will try my best to keep you out of any of the ramifications."

"It's not you I'm worried about. It's the Colonel's cronies who already know about us that worry me." Kate sighed deeply in defeat. "Look, what will be will be, I just wish you'd spoken to me about it before you'd said anything. We could perhaps have come up with another way of dealing with the ICIS situation."

"There just wasn't the time and you were away in Scotland." Fortunately this incident hadn't done much to damage their relationship but it hadn't been the first time Alistair had pushed both his luck and Kate's patience.

Six months earlier, Kate had been called to get to the Black Archive as fast as she could possibly manage at the request of her superior. It was the place where UNIT stored all their evidence and items that should never be in the public domain. After Douglas had managed to get hold of the ancient book which conjured up the Daemon all those years ago, security had been tightened considerably and access was via level one classification only. She wouldn't normally have had anything to do with a security breach; however a dangerous relic, The Tunguska Scroll, had been stolen by her father. Fortunately someone had decided that the situation should be dealt with informally, at least at first. After all, Alistair had the appropriate security clearance it was just that the scroll shouldn't have been removed. There was also a rumour that Sarah Jane Smith had something to do with it too and that had intrigued Kate somewhat. By the time she had arrived the situation had been mostly dealt with, her father and Sarah Jane long gone from the Archive and a trail of destruction in their wake.

Once Kate had caught up with him, she had spoken quite sternly to her father after that incident too but it had been of far less consequence. He had brought Kate up to speed with what had been going on in Sarah Jane's life since they had last spoken a decade ago; Sarah's deliberate ousting from the broadcaster Planet Three back in early 2000, going on the run for a couple of years and independently beginning to investigate alien goings on by herself. Then she had adopted a teenage boy, Luke, and along with a handful of his school friends she seemed to spend most of her time dealing with alien threats before UNIT had a chance to get involved. It answered a lot of questions for Kate, not only in respect of Sarah Jane and what she'd been up to all these years but from a UNIT point of view too. It appeared they had unjustly credited Torchwood with neutralising some of the past Alien threats when actually it had been Sarah Jane and her unofficial team of teenagers. Kate had made a mental note to investigate this new information further and work out just what had been going on right under her nose!


	5. New Beginnings and Old Friends

**November 2010**

Looking back Kate realised that it had all been a bit dramatic at the time. Her father had been commissioned by UNIT Central Command in Geneva to travel to Peru (yet again!) as part of his duties as a special envoy. She knew that he'd been working on the same treaty for years and had the expertise, experience and specialist knowledge that no other UNIT official seemed to have. Alistair had told her that he was determined to see the treaty agreed and adopted and wanted to be physically present when it was completed. However, Kate could see that that he wasn't as fit as he used to be, that really UNIT were asking too much of him jet-setting halfway across the world to carry out work that he'd officially retired from over thirty years before. It was an additional burden to the guilt and despair he already felt after Doris had died in a freak boating accident earlier in the year. Alistair hadn't been quite been the same after that; he had lost a light behind his eyes, a 'joie de vivre' that neither she nor Gordon could quite put back, despite their best efforts.

Gordon had been at university in Cardiff since the previous October. He was now a young adult who was busy with studying, friends and deciding what he wanted to do with his life. It left Kate feeling her loneliness more than she wanted to admit; while UNIT was all-consuming, exciting and satisfying, at the same time it had been a good excuse for her to avoid sorting out her emotional life. She'd had a few casual dalliances with women she had met on the scene but nothing long-lasting or serious. Besides, she never really had the time for anything deeper anyway, she was always being pulled in opposing directions at work and it wasn't exactly an environment conducive to having a relationship.

Kate hadn't been completely alone and her father had still being willing to impart the wisdom of his experience and practical advice. Surprisingly Kate had been more open and willing to listen, despite the fact that he had used the opportunity to push Kate ever further beyond her comfort zone. She'd steadily progressed up the ranks, having seen the entire remit of UNIT's purpose and gained invaluable experience along the way. She'd been the decision maker in some recent large-scale events and had received great feedback from her superiors. She occasionally reflected on how she missed working quietly and diligently away in a laboratory and not having quite so much responsibility. However, her eyes had been opened time and time again, so she knew that there was no going back now. Finally she understood what her father had been doing all these years and the passion he had felt for his job and now she was beginning to feel the same way.

Kate now had level two security clearance and as such, an honorary civilian role. It was unprecedented that someone from a non-military background had become so influential in UNIT. She had earned wide respect from her peers and staff alike and still she remained largely inconspicuous. Only those sitting in the upper echelons of UNIT knew who she really was and how vital her role was in the Taskforce. She and her father had even worked side by side on a couple of occasions and almost no one had been any the wiser. She was immensely proud that she had managed to achieve all of this on her own merits.

After a few years visiting all the different UNIT bases around the country, attending meetings in Geneva and other European bases, Kate had ended up back in an office at the Tower of London as the current Head of UNIT's scientific adviser. Colonel Oduya often sent her to meetings and events on his behalf, choosing to keep a low profile since all the awful business with the 456. Kate had been preparing for one such jaunt when she was called into his office as a matter of urgency. It was then that she was informed that her father had been taken ill in Peru and that he was being treated in a local hospital. The words 'suspected stroke' reverberated around her head for hours afterwards. Oduya had immediately arranged for her to travel out there to be with him and Kate hadn't thought twice about dropping everything and going to where she was needed the most. She'd spoken to Gordy on the telephone, reassured him that his granddad was going to be okay and that there was nothing practical that he could do until they were both back home in the UK.

Alistair had suffered some weakness and co-ordination problems as a long lasting effect of the stroke. Luckily his cognitive functions were all intact and he was the same old stubborn and difficult man that he had been before. Although, Kate had noticed another chink of his lust for life had been taken away and in many ways he had become a shell of his former self. There was no way that he was able to look after himself but with Gordy away in Cardiff and Kate jaunting off all round the UK and abroad at the drop of a hat they had had think practically. They eventually sat down and engaged in a long discussion about the prospect of Alistair moving into a care home. Surprisingly he'd readily agreed and for Kate it was yet another sign that he was feeling the loss of Doris and the effects his ill health. Although, Kate joked that he only wanted to move so that he had a harem of ladies to chat up all day long and his accompanying wink hadn't given her much confidence that it wasn't true. But there was a sadness in the frailty of his spirit and that his mortality had never been more apparent than it was now.

Somehow, despite everything they had seen and done together in the last few years while she had been at UNIT, she'd not really been concerned for their safety. It was the most human of things that had struck her father down and he'd just about been able to dust himself off and get back up again. As soon as they had landed back in the UK, Gordon had taken some time away from university on compassionate grounds and had come back home for a week. Kate had warned him that his grandfather wasn't as strong as he used to be and that it was okay to be upset. He'd been brave at the hospital, cracking jokes about girls and the like, but as soon as he had been alone with his mum in the privacy of their home, he'd broken down in tears. Kate felt terrible that she had been unable to protect him from that sort of pain and could offer him little comfort as he realised that even his hero could get sick.

Kate had made a huge fuss at Christmas; she'd actually made an effort to cook a proper dinner with all the trimmings and the care home had allowed Alistair to enjoy the day in familiar surroundings with his family around him. Both Kate and her father had poignantly looked at each other several times throughout the day, both thinking that it could well be their last but not daring to voice their fears. They had thought that there would be time enough for that later, but then between Christmas and New Year another stroke took away a bit more of Alistair's independence and mobility and Kate really began to worry.

They had been reunited for just over fifteen years and although the path hadn't always been the smoothest, they had eventually found their way back to each other. Her dad was now her mentor and guide, helping her to move through UNIT like it was a job she had always been born to do and some part of her wondered if perhaps it was. Alistair's viewpoint had changed over the years; his experiences with the Doctor had taught him a lot. But with his first instinct always running back to his military training it had been difficult to fully take that on board. With Kate, a brand new fresh start was possible. UNIT could be less 'gung ho' and make use of the brilliant and diligent scientists they had working behind the scenes of that military exterior. Kate had pushed that idea forward and with her father's support, Colonel Oduya had really begun to stand up and listen, his own experience with the 456 adding fuel to the fire. UNIT was a rapidly changing organisation, on the cusp of becoming something even better and more effectual than it had ever been before.

* * *

 **January 2011**

Between her job at UNIT and visiting her father as often as she could, even Kate was beginning to feel the strain. She also felt that her dad could do with some visitors besides her; friendly faces and people that he could go over old memories with and tell stories to. Winnifred Bambera had long since retired but she was still in touch with her old UNIT colleagues. Kate had left a message for her to get in touch and thought that perhaps she wouldn't mind spending a couple of hours with her dad. Kate scrolled through the numbers in her phone and hovered over one in particular for a few moments before she went ahead and pressed the 'call' button. Alistair had passed the number onto her, with permission, after the last time he had seen Sarah Jane when he had helped her to break into the Black Archive and steal the Tunguska Scroll.

"Hello?" The voice at the other end of the line was comforting in a strange, sort of familiar, way.

"Sarah Jane, it's good to hear your voice." To say that Sarah was surprised to hear from Kate after all this time was an understatement. Obviously, with the circles they moved in they had each heard snippets here and there about the other but they'd not spoken with each other directly for some time.

"Kate, this is a surprise. How are you?" Sarah was all alone in her attic; save for Mister Smith running through some tests that she'd asked him to perform, while she sat tapping away at her very ordinary PC and drafted an article for a local newspaper. Journalism was still her bread and butter, the saving the world thing was just what she did in her spare time.

"I'm fine but… I need your help." Kate felt so helpless and weak; she was used to being strong and able to do something practical in a difficult situation. But this, she needed a friend, another adult who could support her and hold her together. She'd lost her mum, Doris and now her father was frail and his health failing fast.

"Why, what's happened?" Sarah Jane's instincts were immediately on edge, it had to be serious for Kate to get in touch, for her to sound so distressed.

"It's Dad, he's been unwell and I don't know how much longer…" Sarah Jane heard Kate's breath hitch in her throat and she knew then that her former lover needed some support.

"Tell me what you need, anything." It went without question, despite what had happened between them and the years they'd been apart there was still a solid friendship underneath it all. And that went for the Brigadier too, he was one of her oldest friends and if he could get any comfort from seeing her in his hour of need then it was something she wanted to do.

"Thank you." The relief in Kate's voice was palpable, finally she could talk to someone and she didn't feel quite so alone.

* * *

Sarah Jane had taken to visiting her old friend in the care home once a week. She felt sad that this is where it would end for him and not in glorious battle saving the planet from yet another alien invasion. But his legacy was greater than the man himself, Geneva revered the man who had essentially built the Taskforce up from scratch, who was The Doctor's most constant, human best friend and had singlehandedly fought and won battles against some of the most dangerous aliens known to them.

"I am sorry that things between you and Kate didn't work out." Sarah stared at him in surprise, this wasn't quite where she had expected their conversation to take them on this particular evening. From what Kate had told her at the time, he'd been quite set against it, uncomfortable with the notion of his daughter being gay, sleeping with one of his oldest friends and refusing to even try to understand it.

"It happens. The timing wasn't right, for either of us." It went deeper than that; her inability to commit to a relationship and then Kate's similar issues, Alistair's disapproval had something to do with it too, she was sure. "To be honest I always thought that you didn't approve?" Sarah didn't think there was any harm in asking him the direct question, she knew that Kate would never have got around to it.

"I didn't, not back then and that wasn't a reflection on you by the way." Alistair took a pause for breath. "She's so alone Sarah Jane, I can see it in her eyes. She's thriving on her work, on everything she's achieved at UNIT and is so incredibly proud of Gordon, but she's lonely underneath it all. I can see the same in you too." Sarah Jane swallowed down the emotion his words had invoked in her. It was strange how a stubborn, old fashioned, pig-headed man like him had managed to see through what she and Kate tried so hard to conceal. "Although I feel like I'm missing a limb, almost quite literally these days, I feel so lucky and privileged to have had Doris by my side for as long as I did. And Fiona before that. I still might not be entirely comfortable with it all but the last thing in the world I want is for my little girl to be lonely, to feel alone." They each took a few moments to let his words sink in. Sarah Jane knew that whatever path she and Kate had shared at one point, that ship had now sailed and they wouldn't be able to go back. But they had managed to salvage a friendship from it and perhaps now that some time had passed they would be able to make more of an effort to keep in touch with each other and re-establish their friendship.

"She'll be fine, I'll look out for her and I'm sure Gordon will too."

"Have you seen _him_ recently, The Doctor?" Sarah wasn't quite sure what to say; if Kate hadn't told him already then perhaps it was best he didn't know. As if by some sort of sixth sense, the woman in question appeared in the doorway of her father's private room.

"I'm afraid that information is classified." Kate said authoritatively as she swept into the room. Sarah Jane couldn't take her eyes off her and observed that she had obviously been changed by UNIT. Kate was dressed in a sharp trouser suit, shirt and her blonde hair had been cut into a short, shaped bob. It was a far cry from the casual, loose-fitting attire she had used to prefer wearing. Sarah couldn't stop the slight flip of her stomach and felt the butterflies pulling at her emotions. Then suddenly Kate switched herself off from work mode and softened considerably. "Hello Sarah Jane." She smiled warmly, this having been the first time they'd actually seen each other face to face in years. Sarah stood and met Kate halfway from the doorway.

"It's so good to see you Kate." They hugged tightly and were so reluctant to let go that when they finally did their hands naturally entwined and stayed clasped for a long while afterwards. The gesture hadn't gone unnoticed by Alistair and he smiled inwardly and hoped that perhaps they could work something out in regards to their aborted relationship after all. They walked back over to the bed that dominated the room and Kate greeted her father with a kiss to his forehead.

"Hello Dad, how have you been?" She brushed the hair away from the side of his face and stroked his cheek gently.

"Hello Tiger, I wasn't expecting to see you today." Alistair stretched up and kissed her softly on the lips.

"The Colonel pretty much told me to leave early for a change. I thought I'd kill two birds and take the opportunity to see you both." Kate sat down and glanced back at Sarah Jane briefly. "You were saying something about the Doctor when I walked in?"

"I just enquired as to whether Sarah Jane had spoken to our old friend recently? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"You know that I can't Dad, level one classification - need to know only."

"You seem to forget that I still have a higher security level than you my dear."

"Yes and I'm sorry but you're no longer in active service. I can't risk someone overhearing…." Sarah Jane put a hand on Kate's arm to stop her and wondered when she had become so serious and inflexible? Surely from her own experience with her father keeping UNIT's secrets from her she would understand more than anyone?

"I think that perhaps, on this occasion, in these circumstances, protocol could be put to one side?" Kate deflated, knowing that Sarah Jane was right but not liking it. She put her hands up in the air in defeat.

"Okay, but you didn't hear this from me." Between Kate and Sarah Jane they recounted the whole sorry business of rogue UNIT agent Colonel Karim and how she had made a deal with the 'undertakers of the galaxy' The Shansheeth. About how Sarah Jane and Jo Grant-Jones (the Brigadier took a moment to recall fond memories of his old acquaintance) had been led to believe that The Doctor had died and they were attending his funeral. Instead their memories of him were being harvested by a memory weave in order for the Shansheeth to gain power.

"I had always thought that when… _if_ The Doctor ever died, that I would know. I'm not sure how but instinctively I would just know." Sarah Jane still hadn't been able to get that thought, that emotion out of her head.

"Me too Sarah Jane." There was a relief in sharing the same thought about their old friend. Kate couldn't quite understand that sentiment as she'd yet to meet him but she knew enough about the Time Lord to understand the significance of his relationship with both her father and Sarah Jane. "I always thought, that when the time came… for me… he'd visit, say goodbye. Every night I ask the nurses to leave out an extra brandy, just in case." Kate's heart sunk a little at his confession, it was a sign that his time was fading fast. Sarah Jane's hand discreetly found hers again and she squeezed it gently in support. "Why don't you two get off while it's still relatively early? I'm sure you've got plenty of things to catch up on and don't want me cramping your style?" He winked at Sarah Jane, alluding to their earlier conversation and she rolled her eyes.

"We're here to visit you, you daft thing. Unless… who is she?" Kate's eyes narrowed in suspicion, his reputation as a ladies man still held true even at this late stage in his life.

"You wound me so!" He chuckled and winked at his daughter this time. "Go on, be off with you. Make the most of your evening off, I remember there weren't too many of those in my day and it's probably even rarer now."

"Only if you're sure?" They said their goodbyes, Kate lingering over hers out of fear that it would be the last time. She was reasonably confident that it wasn't time yet, but it was going to be soon and she wasn't anywhere near ready for it.

* * *

The two women stepped outside of the care home into the cold, sharp evening air. It had yet to snow this winter but there had been some thick frosts and black ice some mornings. Kate buttoned up her blue greatcoat and wound a long scarf around her neck. Sarah Jane wore her usual skinny jeans, boots, shirt and waistcoat combination underneath her winter coat. She took a sideways glance at Kate, seemingly appraising her attire once again.

"You've changed." Kate wasn't sure whether to take that as an accusation or as an observation and inclined her head with a raised eyebrow.

"People do." Quite naturally she felt defensive; she'd worked so hard to prove herself all these years she took it as a personal slight if there was any hint of criticism.

"Hey, I'm your friend! Put those barriers down for a bit, eh?" Kate's eyebrows rose skyward at that statement.

"That's rich, coming from you!" They stopped in the middle of the street; an argument brewing and the atmosphere tense. Standing opposite each other it was clear to see that they'd almost switched places in the time they had been apart. Kate was now the closed off, career minded, defensive one and Sarah Jane had become the relaxed, grounded and settled woman she had been so far away from being when they had first met. What was it that Sarah Jane had said to The Brigadier earlier about their short-lived relationship having been a case of timing? It seemed the journeys that had been on since then had taken them in opposite directions, even further away from each other. It took Kate a few moments to calm down and gather her thoughts. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that."

"Yes you did and it was true, at least back then. Look, your emotions are high at the moment, mine too. Perhaps now isn't the best time to rake up our ancient history."

"Perhaps it is and then we can move on? Look, do you want to come back to mine? Have a drink, something to eat? And then we can sit down and talk, clear the air properly." There was a part of Sarah Jane that didn't want to, that knew exactly what was going to happen between them if they did but then another part of her was curious to see how it would play out.

Of course, Sarah Jane had been right to be cautious because no sooner had they walked into Kate's house and divested themselves of their coats; they came together in a tangle of limbs and lips. It was messy and heated, instinctual rather than romantic.

"This is a really bad idea," Sarah told herself as much as Kate, as she held her tightly around the waist, hoping that saying it aloud would actually interrupt the moment.

"Probably." Kate remarked dryly but didn't let up on her assault of kisses. Sarah Jane hadn't changed all that much in just over a decade. She was familiar and there was a much needed comfort in that.

"Kate… stop." Kate pulled away instantly, respecting her ex-lover enough to know when enough was enough. "Are you really sure about this? You're not thinking clearly at the moment." Kate deflated, the tension dissipating somewhat in the process.

"I… I want this. I _need_ this. It's been a while for me…. Unless…?" The thought hadn't occurred to her until that second. "Unless there's someone else?" It hurt more than she thought it would, that she had any right to feel. Sarah Jane shook her head.

"There's no one else, but this, _us_ , is never going to work." She'd been fairly convinced of that from when it had started all those years ago and was one of the reasons she'd not wanted to get too deep into it the first place.

"I know that, I'd worked that out years ago. It doesn't mean that we can't…" Kate waved a hand between them, "…you know. Every once in a while." There was a twinkle in Kate's eye and whilst it was true the sexual chemistry between them was obvious, doing this now when her father was so seriously ill, could have a disastrous effect on any friendship they had managed to salvage. But Kate had taken a step forward, her arms reached out and settled on Sarah Jane's hips. Heat flooded Sarah's senses, it had been a while for her too and perhaps they just needed to get this out of their systems. Sarah closed the remaining gap between them, cupped a hand around Kate's cheek and pulled them into a long kiss. Kate's hands moved from Sarah's hips and made quick work of the waistcoat and a few buttons from her shirt. Sarah Jane felt the warmth of Kate's hands on her skin and had to take in a shuddering breath. Maybe it had been longer than she thought.

It had been an intense coupling and had lasted longer than anticipated. But in the afterglow, Kate's emotions had caught up with her and she'd ended up sobbing on Sarah's Jane's shoulder. She'd kept it together for so long. Had stayed strong for her dad and Gordon, for UNIT and for herself so that she was still able to function and do her job. But it had taken its toll and she'd just temporarily displaced her grief instead of dealing with the situation. Now that she had an ally, a friend to lean on she could finally begin to acknowledge the situation for what it was.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do without him. It feels like we've only just found each other and now I'm losing him." Sarah Jane knew what that was like, people seemed to leave her all the time.

"At least you gave each other that second chance and have made the most of it. He thinks the world of you and loves you very much." Kate snorted slightly.

"Sometimes I wonder if he thinks me a failure."

"Where have you got that from?"

"I'm sure I've disappointed him by not getting married, having any more children, living a normal life." He'd been so pleased to learn he was a grandfather in the first instance, as though he'd never expected it happen at all. But then he got to know his daughter all over again, the grown up version who had worked out who she was, what she wanted and what she didn't want. It hadn't exactly fitted what he'd wanted for her, it was a much tougher life and happiness had proved elusive.

"That's not what he said to me earlier." Kate looked questioningly at her bed mate. "He seemed to imply that he wanted this…" Sarah alluded to the fact that they were in bed together after just having had sex "…to happen."

"Tonight?" So that's why he'd shooed them out of his room early. Kate really must be tired and off kilter to have not picked up on it.

"Yes, and back then."

"That's most definitely not what he's been saying to me all these years." In fact they'd argued about it, several times.

"He still said that he had a difficult time accepting your sexuality but if the alternative was for you to be alone then he wanted that even less." It gave Kate something to mull over but she remained sceptical.

"How come _this_ always ends with a serious conversation?" Sarah Jane chuckled.

"Is that your way of telling me to leave?"

"No, no! I just meant…"

"I know what you meant. Although, I probably ought to be going." Kate felt surprisingly disappointed at the thought of Sarah leaving, having quite fancied the idea of waking up next to her in the morning. She had genuinely enjoyed rekindling their sexual relationship and she felt lighter for having shared her emotional burden.

"You're welcome to stay, I'm honestly not throwing you out." Sarah Jane was under no such illusion, besides she had other responsibilities now.

"I know, but I want to get home. No offence."

"None taken." Kate looked at her ex-lover with that twinkle in her eye once again. "You will think about it though?"

"About what?"

"Doing this again? 'Friends with benefits,' I think it's called." Sarah Jane chuckled at that.

"I think I'm a bit too old for all that! Besides, I'm not sure that's such a good idea Kate."

"For the record you'd never be too old for anything and I think we can be good for each other. Unless you think my technique's off? I know it's been a while…" Sarah Jane chuckled again, she'd forgotten how funny Kate could be and it felt nice to have a laugh for a change. She had to admit that it had been fun, a scratch had been itched and they'd worked through some of that latent sexual tension between them.

"I'm not promising anything but I won't rule it out completely. And, by the way, your technique is absolutely spot on." Sarah Jane winked, dressed and left Kate lying in bed as she left her house and made her way back to Bannerman Road.

* * *

 **March 2011**

Brigadier _Sir_ Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart died on 22 February in his sleep at the care home he'd been residing in for three months. Kate had not been to visit him that day, but the day before she'd had an awful feeling that it had been their last goodbye. His skin had been pale, his eyes dull and his mouth perpetually dry no matter how much water he had sipped through a straw. It pained Kate to see the man she looked up to so weak and helpless and she was sure he hated being so reliant on nurses just to wake up in the morning. She'd sat holding his warm hand the entire hour, too afraid to let go and lose the connection between them.

"I am sorry, for all those years I wasted. Looking back, it was all such a waste of time and emotion."

"I was at fault too, don't blame yourself. We found each other in the end, that's what is important." Kate nodded, understanding that on a fundamental level but still feeling guilty anyway.

"I wish I could have been better, more…I don't know, just more." This crisis of self confidence wasn't something Alistair was used to seeing in his daughter. She'd always been so forthright, so certain of herself and determined to walk her own path.

"I _am_ proud of you, I hope you know that? And one day, when you're standing in my old boots, bossing all those UNIT soldiers about, just remember that and hold on it whenever you're in doubt." Kate felt the tears fall down her face, hardly even realising that her father's words had tipped her over the edge.

"I'm not sure I'd actually want your old job, that but thanks for the vote of confidence." The elderly man chuckled as loudly as his tired throat and voice could manage.

"You don't think you get a choice about these things do you? You'll be running things my girl, mark my words." Kate shook her head, it was a nice thought and nothing but a fanciful dream, she was never going to be good enough for that. Besides, a civilian running UNIT, who'd ever heard such a thing?

"I wouldn't have the first clue how to begin anyway." She took orders from Oudya easily enough, though he did give her plenty of freedom to instigate missions and issue orders but ultimately he was in charge.

"You're already doing it, just be yourself."

"Thank you Dad, thank you for believing in me. I thought that maybe I'd disappointed you, somehow."

"Oh Tiger! How could you have ever done that? You're exactly like me, the apple never fell far from the tree did it? You've made the same mistakes and I only wish I could have spared you the pain but you wouldn't be where you are now otherwise. I am so very proud of you, I just hope one day you'll be happy, really happy." Kate pushed her chair closer along the bed so that she could lean over and rest her head on her father's chest and let her tears really fall.

"What am I ever going to do without you?" Alistair wished he had been able to control his own tears but couldn't and his voice told Kate that he was crying too.

"Everything that I am is within you and you are stronger than you know. You will be okay, I promise. I love you."

"I love you too Dad." They'd held each other for a long time before Kate had had to leave and go to UNIT HQ. It was the last time they had spoken and the last time Kate had seen him. She hadn't wanted to see his body afterwards, it wasn't how she had wanted to remember him.

* * *

On the day of her father's funeral so many people shook her hand and offered their condolences it all passed by in a blur. It was safe to say that he had been a popular man; well respected and liked by both his colleagues and peers. His reputation seemed to travel far and wide, even Geneva had sent a representative. Kate was glad to have had Sarah Jane and Gordon by her side for moral support and to split the hosting duties between them. He'd have wanted a big celebration of his life like this, fitting for his larger than life character and honouring all the people he had met during his lifetime. Kate had hoped The Doctor would have made the effort to attend, although she had no way of contacting him to have let him know where and when it was. She had thought that as one of his oldest friends, somehow he'd have known and been there without prompting. Unfortunately that didn't look like it was the case. Her dad had been adamant that the Doctor was going to turn up at the care home one day, sit and reminisce about old times over a glass of brandy or two (or three!) There was a part of Kate that was disappointed in the legendary Time Lord for not giving her dad at least that small semblance of comfort in his dying days. Surely as a time traveller he could have spared the time? But the other part of her was relieved that he hadn't because from all she had heard and experienced third hand, trouble followed the Doctor around and that was the last thing her father had needed at that stage in his life.

Kate was shaken out of her reverie by the approach of an older man with wisps of white hair at the back of his head and behind his ears but a shiny bald head on top. He wore thick-black rimmed rounded spectacles and had a round face. He was relatively short in stature and had a slightly squat frame. He was obviously an old UNIT colleague of her dad's as he was wearing a slightly worn, old style green military uniform. He stuck his hand out to Kate and she shook it politely.

"Sergeant Tom Osgood, I worked with your father back in the seventies…." he waited half a second before continuing "….or eighties - depending on the dating protocol!" They both chuckled at the inside joke for a moment. "I worked as a Scientific Adviser about fifteen years ago too and we came back into contact. He was a great mentor and I was honoured to consider him a friend. I'm so very sorry for your loss." There was something about the way her father's old colleague held her hand in his, more familiar than expected but not in a creepy way. There was a genuine sorrow in his voice and about his demeanour.

"Thank you, it's very kind of you to say and thanks for coming. It means a lot to see so many people here who cared about him." She genuinely meant the words but it was beginning to feel a bit of an automatic response there had been so many condolences offered.

"He was definitely a one-off!" They laughed again before they became conscious of the next well-wisher waiting to offer their own condolences. As Tom went to move away that something familiar nagged at the back of her mind once again and suddenly the cogs had begun to turn. Of course! The resemblance was quite startling once she'd clued in.

"Sergeant Osgood?!" Tom turned back at the sound of Kate's voice and smiled kindly. "You don't happen to have any children do you?" His smile turned into a wide grin and he nodded.

"Why yes I do, two daughters in fact. Although I think you're probably thinking of one in particular?" The look of surprise on Kate's face was an absolute picture. "She's told me all about you. You really are as smart and as beautiful as she said you were. Your father was quite right to be proud of you."

"I...thank you." Kate really didn't have time to say anything else as the person standing in front of her was brought back to her attention and she continued to receive the long line of guests.

* * *

There was a wake in a local pub that her father had frequented before he had become too frail to live by himself. Kate hadn't felt like staying long, it was mainly the old UNIT boys talking over old times and she had no interest in those sorts of inebriated and lively conversations. She, Sarah Jane and Gordon holed themselves up in a corner and kept to themselves for a while.

"When are you going back to university Gordon?" Sarah Jane asked the young man out of genuine interest. She'd been quite surprised when they met each other again and saw just how much he had grown up over the decade.

"Tomorrow. I've got exams in a few weeks and I can't really afford to miss too much time before then." He was an earnest student, not too fussed about getting up to all sorts and enjoying more of a social life than actually studying. He had friends but they were studious like him, all into gadgets and technology and the like.

"It's not your final year though?"

"No, but these results count towards my final marking. Next year is predominantly dissertation." Kate had zoned out of their conversation for a while and had taken a moment to sort out her head. She'd gone beyond feeling sad; just a sort of numb, floating feeling like she wasn't really present. She knew it was her grief clouding the clarity of her thoughts and that she had to go through the process of mourning before she could come out the other side. Before she knew what was happening, Sarah Jane handed over her coat and gently pushed her out of her seat and towards the door.

"I'm taking you home." The older woman whispered in her ear and Kate nodded gratefully at her foresight. Gordon was going to catch up with some old friends before he went back to Cardiff and said that he would make his own way back home. Kate had double checked that he was alright and he'd assured her that he was fine, he just needed some time to be with friends and have some fun.

Sarah drove Kate home in her little green Figaro in silence. They'd known each other long enough that it wasn't awkward, almost comforting in a way that they didn't have to make polite conversation when they both didn't feel like it. It was an unspoken given that when they walked through the door it would lead them straight upstairs to the bedroom. They needed it, to channel their shared grief into something physical and then get the emotional release they each craved. It was also unspoken that it would be the last time, that as much chemistry they shared it wasn't a healthy relationship for either of them. They each needed more from a person, both the physical and emotional and eventually, hopefully that elusive commitment.

* * *

 **Six Months Later - September 2011**

Colonel Odyua had called Kate at home very late one evening and requested her presence at a meeting at HQ first thing the following morning. There was nothing unusual about that in itself but this meeting had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and she had been told it was top secret. She'd asked if something was wrong, if something was about to happen but Oduya had reassured her that it wasn't anything untoward. Still, it didn't stop her from feeling anxious as she had tried to sleep.

Kate stepped into the plush conference room adorned with UNIT insignia and large digital screens. Spider phones sat along the middle of the long table in the centre indicating there would be people on conference call in the meeting. It felt very official, formal even and she wasn't quite sure what she was doing there. Although, she'd be mightily pissed off if they had just wanted her to take the minutes! One by one the delegates came in and took their seats, every single one of them Kate recognised as the heads of UNIT departments; ground troops, air troops, sea troops, research departments, policy makers, diplomatic corps and so forth. This must be huge for them all to be gathered here together in one place. Colonel Oduya addressed his audience.

"I have called this meeting, in part, to tender my resignation." Murmurs of surprise went around the room and he had to hush them before he could carry on. "It's no secret that I have found things somewhat, _difficult_ , since the incident with the 456 and I no longer feel that I am effective in my role as the Head of the British contingent of UNIT. I have spoken with many of you already and we are all in agreement that UNIT needs to change, that it's time for a new approach. UNIT is no longer a secret military organisation, the government and the public have been aware of our existence and our remit to deal with hostile alien life-forms that threaten the safety of the Earth for a couple of years now.

One thing that our experience with Torchwood has taught us is that violence and weaponry rarely solve anything and that perhaps, with a research facility as well equipped and as expertly staffed as it is, we can be more effective by having science on our side." For some reason Kate's stomach suddenly filled with butterflies and she felt nervous and anxious about what was to come. Somewhere, deep inside of her, she had a feeling she already knew where this was going and although part of her hoped she was wrong there was another deeper part of her that hoped she was right.

"That is why, I would like to nominate Kate Stewart as the next Head of UNIT, also taking the title of Head of Scientific Research as a testament to our renewed belief that science will lead the way. We can be better equipped, better prepared to deal with the battles that are ahead of us." Kate felt hot and clammy, the room felt like it was closing in on her like this was a very surreal dream. A round of applause went around the table and startled her from her thoughts. "I know that it's unprecedented, to have a civilian figurehead but as long as there is a majority agreement in this room, the decision will be made here and now." Kate felt like she was being pushed into something that she wasn't really ready for. Yes, _they_ might be in agreement but what about her? Was this something that she even wanted? She had to say something, tell them that they'd made a mistake and that she wasn't up to the job.

"Colonel, if I may?" Kate inclined her head and indicated that she wanted to speak with him outside.

"Of course, excuse us for a moment." They left the conference room and entered the foyer where refreshments had been placed ready for when they had finished.

"You didn't even consult me on this. I'm really not sure I'm the right person for the job." Odyua chuckled good naturedly.

"Which is _exactly_ why we want you to do it. You're not seeking kudos or the privilege of position. You do your job, brilliantly I might add, because you're interested and passionate about it. You lead by science and seek the answers from it. You are just the sort of person to lead and implement this change. It's not going to be easy to change an organisation that has its roots steeped in the military and whose first instinct is to reach for its weapons. It will be bloody hard work so don't you worry about not earning your stripes. If you can succeed in turning UNIT around for the better, you are more than qualified. Do I make myself clear?" Kate was speechless and still numb with shock. But there was a part of her that was now beginning to let the reality of it sink in. There was a certain sort of excitement at the task laying ahead of her. It sounded just the sort of thing she'd enjoy doing too. They went back into the conference where proceedings resumed.

"All those in favour please raise your hand and say aye." Every single hand in the room was raised and all twenty one heads of department came together in unison to give their agreement. It was overwhelming to witness and even more so to be the one they were putting so much faith in. Kate swallowed a lump in her throat and thought of her father. He'd told her, only a few months ago that she would end up standing in his shoes. All these people knew who her father was and a few years ago she would have kicked up more of a fuss. But she'd been working closely with Oduya for a couple of years now and had proved her capabilities time and time again. This time they were voting with full working knowledge of her skills and abilities. "I would say that is unanimous. Kate Stewart, I hereby announce you as the new Head of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce."

* * *

Almost overnight Kate's life changed.

Oduya only stayed on for another month, which at least gave her some time for everything to sink in and to make plans. One thing she had insisted on was that she based herself back in the labs. If she was going to help pull UNIT up by its shoelaces and drag it into being more science based and less 'gung ho' then she would have to lead by example. It would be a constant reminder to everyone who served under her that was the direction UNIT was heading in. She wasn't so naive to believe that she would have an easy ride, Oduya had done a lot of the ground work but even he had faced opposition. Being based in the labs also brought her onto the next thing she was absolutely certain about.

Kate sat at the old wooden desk, which looked a bit odd considering the multitude of technology that adorned it and the rest of her room. She had a main computer with three screens which was a long way from the clunky old PC she used to have on her houseboat. She also had a separate laptop for when she worked at home and a tablet that connected to both the laptop and PC. She had a small circular conference table to one end of the room, with four chairs tucked underneath it. She'd not seen Osgood for quite some time; their friendship was still intact but life and other things had conspired against them and had invariably got in the way. Kate had spent a lot of that time travelling all over the UK for UNIT but also metaphorically up through the ranks of the Taskforce. On top of that she'd had to deal with her father's illness and subsequent death and so it had left little time for anything else. The younger woman knocked on her door and Kate looked up at her with a wide smile on her face.

"Osgood, it's so good to see you. Please, do come in." Kate had gestured to the seat opposite her. Osgood took a few moments to look around and take in the room.

"Hello Kate, is this your new office? It's great!" Kate was relieved, it felt as though there hadn't been any significant timespan since they had last spoken properly. Osgood seemed relaxed and spoke to her just the same as she had done so a few years before. Kate had been worried that the distance and her rank would have changed things between them.

"It's different from the laboratories certainly! How _are_ you? I'm so terribly sorry it's been so long since we had a chance to talk. Would you like a drink? I have my own coffee maker now!" They both chuckled at the reference to their previous working relationship and Osgood's immediate generosity which had brought them together in friendship.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't a social call?" Osgood was as quick and as smart as she had ever been, although it had probably been quite obvious there was a motive behind Kate's request to see her.

"It's not _just_ a social call, no. But I do genuinely want to catch up, I've missed… I've missed your friendship." Kate had leaned on Sarah Jane during the difficult time with her father and they'd picked up where they had left off in terms of their relationship, if only temporarily. However, it hadn't been the same as the fun and laughter she had shared with Osgood back when she'd first started working at UNIT. She'd missed being hunched over a set of results or waiting for experiments to peak and the ensuing excitement at theorising and analysing what it meant. They'd been a good team, worked well together to find a common goal and that had been just as stimulating as their friendship.

"Okay then, I'll take you up on that offer of a coffee; something tells me that I'm going to need it." They smiled at each other and Kate set to work, Osgood noting that she even had a stash of soya milk for the occasion.

"So, come on, tell me what you've been up to." Kate prompted Osgood.

"There's not much to tell really. Everything's just the same as it was." Osgood shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I've got two nieces now, Grace and Isabelle. I don't see them as often as I would like but they're lovely." Kate smiled brightly, she remembered when Gordy had been small and as hard as it was she'd enjoyed seeing the absolute delight he found in the simplest of things.

"Oh, how wonderful! How's your sister taken to motherhood?"

"She's thriving on it, Mum's fussing over her and giving her lots of attention. Which is absolutely fine with me, anything to get her off my back for a bit." Kate was well versed in Osgood's difficult relationship with her mother. She hadn't understood her studious, shy and independent daughter but had bonded with the more traditional one.

"And do you enjoy being an Auntie?" That was something Kate had never been able to experience, having been an only child.

"Very much so, they seem to enjoy climbing all over me and running me ragged!" The delight was obvious in Osgood's voice and her face had seemed to light up considerably. Kate thought that it suited her and wondered what it would be like to witness her playing with her nieces.

"What about your father? How is he?" Kate saw a perfect opportunity to lead into what she had wanted to discuss with Osgood.

"He's fine thanks." Something about way Kate had asked made Osgood take notice so she didn't give away too much in response and then her very quick, smart brain worked it out. "You _know_ don't you? Of course you do, you're the Head of UNIT, you must have access to everyone's files." Osgood felt a little sad at the thought of Kate reading through her personal file to gain information on her instead of just asking.

"That's not how….it's not…" Kate stopped herself and started all over again. "He introduced himself at my father's funeral." At Osgood's incredulous expression Kate felt the need to explain further. "Not overtly, he wouldn't have. I finally put two and two together and he just let me know that I was correct. Why did you never tell me that your father had previously worked for UNIT and that you'd worked out who I was too?" Osgood smiled kindly at the blonde.

"I just thought that there must have been a reason you changed your name, didn't mention who you were and seemed to go to a great length in doing so. If you had wanted me to know, trusted me enough, then you would have told me." It seemed simple really but the feeling and thought behind it was heartfelt and Kate was overwhelmed with gratitude.

"It wasn't about not trusting you, I hope you understand that? At that time I felt like I had something to prove, any hint of nepotism and I would have run a mile. I wanted to do this by myself, on my own merits. Not that I'd ever intended for it to go quite this far!" Clearly her father had, although he'd never said it outright until the very end.

"Yeah, congratulations on the job by the way, I perhaps ought to have said that earlier! And I'm really sorry about your dad. I wanted to say something at the time but it would have been obvious I was aware of the connection. Everyone knew of _The Brigadier_ _'s_ passing but you'd not told anyone about your father so I didn't feel I could say anything. Dad said that he'd met you, didn't say that you'd worked out our connection though! I'll be having words with him later." They both chuckled at that. Tom had also told his daughter that her assessment of Kate was absolutely correct. She was both intelligent and beautiful and he'd seen his eldest daughter's face flush with the realisation that her crush and complete adoration of Kate had been plainly written on her face.

"Well it seems like we were both keeping secrets and the same ones at that! Which brings me onto the non-social aspect of our meeting. Your friendship and our past working relationship has stuck with me all this time. The fact that you knew about my father but kept that a secret from even me just shows me how trustworthy and how much of a good friend you really are. I think we worked really well together and I'd like to do so again." Kate couldn't quite convey just how much she wanted to work with Osgood again. She'd been quite lonely on her way up and she knew that she needed someone, a friend, to keep her grounded in the months and years ahead. She had a mammoth task to undertake and she needed someone on her side who already understood her point of view and wanted the same thing.

"Well, technically you're now my boss so we are." Osgood joked, deliberately misunderstanding what Kate had been trying to get at. Butterflies had built up in her stomach and her hand absentmindedly reached for the inhaler she kept in her lab coat pocket.

"I don't mean it like that." So Kate tried putting it in a different way. "How come you're still in the labs? You haven't changed job in all the time I've known you." She knew that Osgood had potential far beyond sitting unknown in a laboratory doing the same routine tasks over and over again. She was quick and instinctive but just lacked confidence to show off just how clever she was.

"I like it there, I'm comfortable and I know what I'm doing." She didn't say it aloud but Kate had known her long enough to understand that she also meant that she had been accepted for exactly who she was. Her quirks, her sense of humour and her shyness about socialising were taken at face value, no one bothered her to reveal more about herself than she was willing to divulge.

"What made you join UNIT in the first place?" Kate decided to try another tactic.

"My Dad, obviously. I was always quite fascinated and interested in the idea of extra-terrestrial life and Dad embellished some of my bedtime stories with things that he'd seen and done here. It gave me a thirst to experience it for myself but you already know that I'm a pacifist like you. I was good at science and I saw it as my way in."

"How would you feel if I offered you a job where you got to be involved and see aliens first hand? But you would still get to work in the labs at the same time."

"I don't understand."

"I'd like you to become my assistant, my right hand woman so to speak. That way you get to be more on the front line but still remain within your comfort zone." Osgood's expression of surprise was an absolute picture to witness.

"Really? You want me?" Her voice was full of barely concealed excitement.

"Yes, but only if you want to. Take your time and think about it, I don't want to pressurise you. The hours would be worse although you'd get suitably recompensed. It would take you away from your nieces, from anyone special, even more than UNIT does now."

"Well, there is Tommy to consider." Kate was caught off-guard at the disappointment she felt upon Osgood's words.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise." Osgood grinned and filed Kate's surprising reaction away for another time.

"I haven't changed that much, Tommy's my cat!" Kate flushed a lovely shade of crimson at having been caught out and she hoped that Osgood wouldn't make too much of it. They laughed together anyway.

"I think we can work around that. So you'll think about it?" Kate said hopefully, not wanting to rush Osgood into making a decision but eagerly awaiting an answer anyway. Osgood knew that she'd be mad to turn the job down but something stopped her from voicing it. Perhaps she ought to have a chat with her dad first, he was always a very good sounding board and usually imparted some very sage advice. It hadn't done her any harm so far.

"Of course I'll consider it and thank you for thinking of me." They sat in silence for a few moments, mulling over their conversation and taking everything in. "This is mad this isn't it? You being in charge of UNIT?" Kate smiled, she'd had the same conversation in her head, and occasionally out aloud but alone and in the privacy of her own home.

"I know! It still hasn't really sunk in." Then her voice grew serious. "There's so much to do Osgood, I don't know if I'm really the right person for this job. A military organisation lead by its scientists, by a civilian, who'd ever heard of such a thing?"

"You'll do a marvellous job, I'm sure your dad would have been very proud of you." Kate teared up a little at that, she knew he would have been, if only he'd lasted a few more months and then he could have seen it for himself. But he had known where she was heading, even before she had. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, you haven't. I think you're right, I just hope I live up to expectations."

"They wouldn't have selected you if you weren't capable. I've heard things, here and there, through the grapevine. You've built up a good, solid reputation on your own. If anyone can do it, it's you." Osgood had to admit that she'd been a little bit miffed at never hearing anything from the woman herself over the years. But she had felt very proud every time she'd heard something complementary about her friend and quickly shot down the nay-sayers to defend and protect Kate - as much as she could from her lowly position. She just hoped that it had helped in some small way.

"Thank you for having so much faith in me." Kate knew deep down that she was capable, that she had the right outlook and attitude to make this work, her own lack of self-confidence tended to make her second guess herself on occasion and she needed someone like Osgood to reassure her that she was still on the right path.

"Likewise."

"Whatever your decision, whenever you make it, we need to have a proper catch up sometime." As much as Kate had been absolutely sure she wanted Osgood for this position, she also knew that she needed to reclaim their friendship.

"I'd like that." Osgood had never really gotten over her crush on Kate but knew that she had to temper it for the sake of any future friendship and working relationship between them.


	6. New Faces and Old Foes

**May 2012**

When Kate had promised that Osgood would get to see some action in her new role as her assistant, this wasn't quite what the younger woman had imagined. UNIT had been aware for a short time that the rift in Cardiff was once again becoming active, after it had been dramatically shut down during the incident with the 456. As reluctant as Kate had been, she'd decided to leave it in Torchwood's capable(ish) hands. It wasn't something they'd interfered with too much before and she wasn't about to start now. Jack Harkness was a rogue and he'd have found a way of doing his own thing anyway, Kate thought it better to give him some rope and make him think he was in charge to keep the peace.

It was when a rift, shaped like a lightning bolt, appeared across the length of the Thames in the middle of the day that UNIT was forced to stand up and take notice. The sky had suddenly grown a dark, midnight blue colour, muting the city of London in a dull grey tinge. The atmosphere had turned eerie, frightening even. Kate had ordered Osgood to issue news bulletins for everyone to stay indoors and had called an emergency meeting of all department heads. She hadn't known it had anything to do with Torchwood until she'd received a call from Mickey Smith and former police officer Andy Davidson back in Cardiff. They quickly explained that an alien species called the Fas had taken umbrage against Jack killing one of their kind. Kate thought it was perfectly understandable and typical of the Torchwood 'shoot first, think later' attitude. The situation was further compounded when Sarah Jane also made contact. She'd phoned Kate's personal mobile and Osgood had answered it, much to Sarah Jane's surprise. She and Kate had only spoken to exchange perfunctory greetings and information since The Brigadier's funeral, although Sarah Jane was well aware of her new role in charge of UNIT. Of course she was, not only as a by-product of their long-standing association but Sarah Jane was as intrinsically linked to UNIT as Alistair had been. Kate still hadn't quite understood where Sarah fit into the situation but it was enough for her to know she was involved. The mobile phone networks suddenly went down but fortunately UNIT's technical experts quickly managed to tap into Torchwood's comm system.

"Greyhound One to Jack Harkness, over." Kate had a communications device clipped onto the waistband of her trousers with an ear piece hooked over her right ear. The microphone clipped onto the lapel of her blazer, not quite as high tec as Torchwood but it was more than adequate and could cover a long range.

"Harkness here Greyhound One." Jack kept one eye on proceedings while he spoke to Kate. He shouldn't have been surprised that UNIT had managed to infiltrate their communications network.

"What is your position?" Kate had hopped into one of the unmarked vehicles and was currently making her way to Jack's last known position along with a couple of hundred armed UNIT troops in vans and tanks.

"Waterloo Bridge Ma'am. We're on the north side, back up needed from the south. We're going to need some of your best boys and gals on this." There was excitement evident in his voice and oddly Kate could empathise with that feeling of not quite being sure what you were going into but being thrilled by it at the same time. She supposed some part of her should feel guilty but then there was another part that knew she needed the adrenaline rush to keep her energised and focused on the task at hand.

"All of my officers are the best Harkness. Any idea what we're facing?"

"There's a second energy signature coming through the rift, it's not the Fas. I've got a very bad feeling about this."

"Understood Harkness, we've got some ideas. ETA five minutes."

"Thanks, Harkness out." Kate looked at Osgood who sat beside her in the car. She could clearly see that she was worried but at the same time she recognised that spark of excitement she had felt herself. Kate reached out and placed her hand on her friend's knee in a gesture of reassurance.

"How are you doing?" Kate didn't want her to feel like she was wrong for being scared or excited, she'd been in a similar position herself when she'd first had front line dealings with aliens. Although, when she'd encountered The Great Intelligence all those years ago, she hadn't come from a position of much knowledge and Gordy had been so very young and vulnerable at the time.

"Okay, I think. A bit nervous I suppose." The younger woman gave her a small shrug, uncertain and not particularly confident.

"That's perfectly natural, stick with me and you'll be fine." Osgood smiled and nodded, she trusted Kate and knew that she was confident in their approach and UNIT's response. They arrived at Stamford Street, near the IMAX at the southern end of Waterloo Bridge and Kate ordered the troops to file out and gather themselves at the end of the bridge facing north. She could make out the silhouettes of people at the other end and opened up the radio channels once again.

"Greyhound One to Harkness."

"Harkness here."

"We're in position. Armed and ready to go. You give the order and we'll fire at will. BUT I have final say, if whatever comes out of that rift does not immediately endanger lives I will order my troops to back down. I don't want any unnecessary casualties, on either side. Is that clear?" From what Mickey and Andy had told her about the Fas, albeit hastily, that was what had got them into this mess in the first place.

"Perfectly. Ma'am." Jack wasn't stupid and knew how much it must have pained Kate to relinquish control to Torchwood. Kate hadn't really had much choice in the matter as Torchwood had got there first. Her primary goal was to safeguard her city and the civilians in it, regardless of who did the safeguarding.

The lightning shaped rift over their heads suddenly came to life and fizzled and crackled as though someone had pressed the resume button. Over and over it streaked across the London skyline as the tear opened wider and wider. Green ghost-like entities hurtled out of the crack in their droves, screeching like a firework as they floated down to the river and back up into the air. They moved so quickly it was difficult to tell where they were heading or landing. Some remained hovering over the river and the city. Jack knew that these were the Fas but much smaller versions of the creatures that he and his Torchwood team had dealt with back in Cardiff.

The rift widened still and it became obvious that something else was emerging alongside The Fas. Metallic pods landed along the bridge and in the streets around the river. They had seemingly been pulled down by a magnetic force as they were guided and stuck firmly to the ground. The pods then burst open and around fifty Cybermen came charging out along the length of the bridge. Kate immediately recognised them for what they were and ordered her troops to begin defensive manoeuvres. The UNIT soldiers marched in synchronised fashion along the bridge with their weapons raised, ready to fire. The Cybermen seemed to march towards them at a similar pace and Kate gave the order to fire at will. The UNIT troops covered the metallic creatures in bullets that had been specially adapted for this purpose. Back in her dad's day, traditional lead bullets had no effect and her scientists had been working on these adapted ones lined with silver for some time. Some of the UNIT officers had laser based weapons and between them managed to render at least a fifth of those on the bridge inoperable. Kate tried hailing Jack on the comm as she couldn't see Torchwood giving her officers any assistance. She didn't mind being there to help out but the rogue agency needed to get themselves involved too. She was met with static and looked beside her for some extra support.

"Osgood, the comms are down. Get someone on it."

"Yes Ma'am." Osgood set to work, using UNIT's own non-mobile network to contact the tech team back at the Tower of London. Kate looked back up at what was happening on the bridge.

"Shit!" She exclaimed when she saw that the Cybermen had been joined by another infamous foe, the Daleks. This didn't feel right to her; there was something odd about having both the Cybermen and Daleks pouring out of this new rift at the same time. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but she instructed another one of her scientists to get analysing the energy signatures they were recording off their invaders.

Still her troops fired but the Cybermen and now Daleks had reached the point where they had met in the middle of the bridge. Suddenly she realised what it was that was so off about this whole thing. Neither the Cybermen nor the Daleks had tried to fire at anyone. They'd marched forcefully onwards and their sheer number was enough to galvanise her troops into action but not a single one had fired a shot. Kate wondered what would happen if she pulled her troops out and got them to stop shooting. Would their alien invaders suddenly start firing back or would they just stop their encroach?

Just as she was about to give the order to stop, the whole scene around her seemed to do so anyway. It was as though the pause button had been pressed again, the Cybermen and Dalek bodies that lay scattered around them dematerialised into green coloured ghosts who again screeched like fireworks on bonfire night. Something was happening at the other end of the bridge, a column of neon blue light had appeared right in the middle of it. After a few moments the sky filled with larger, blue versions of the green ghost like creatures and seemed to connect together to form a web-like network. This web pulsed and thrummed with electrical energy and seemed to invoke a feeling of euphoria in the human beings on the ground. Kate felt adrenaline course through her, felt a confidence that she hadn't felt in a while return to her and then Osgood appeared at her side with an update.

"Comms are back online, we can't raise Harkness but Sarah Jane Smith is trying to get hold of you again." Kate looked at Osgood and thanked her, even reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze in support. In turn, Osgood had felt something change within her as a result of the euphoric atmosphere around her. An awareness, a realisation that she'd long since denied but could no longer ignore.

Then the green ghost-like Fas were frightened away by their more peaceful cousins and they retreated back into the rift. Immediately the whole city sprang back into life again; the lights switched on, transport was once again able to move and the dull grey atmosphere had lifted along with the midnight blue sky. It was almost as though it had never happened. Almost, but not quite; the rift remained in position over the Thames and the sky wasn't quite as bright as it had been before. There was a slightly odd feeling too, as though everything had been shifted half a degree off kilter.

Kate still couldn't raise Jack on the Comms channels but then Doctor Martha Jones came running towards them from the north end of the bridge. Kate of course knew Martha, an ex-companion of the Doctor and she'd worked for UNIT for a few years afterwards but, as Kate found out afterwards, she had since decided to take Jack back up on his offer of a position with Torchwood. Although, from time to time, Martha did still assist UNIT on an ad hoc basis.

"Have you heard anything from Jack? Or did you see him go anywhere?" The young woman seemed panicked and there was an urgency in her voice.

"No, why?"

"He's missing, along with Maria Jackson. It can't be a coincidence, not so soon after the Fas disappeared." Kate tried radioing once again and Martha tried Jack's mobile. "Still nothing." Kate called over one of her officers.

"Captain Tate, go with Ms Jones and help her find her missing team members. Keep me updated, we don't want something else going wrong today. Martha, I'm going to get the rest of my officers to stand down and begin the clear up operation. I'll remain in the area for a while, just call me if you need anything further." Martha nodded and went back across the bridge with Captain Tate in tow. Osgood stayed by Kate's side as they supervised the retreat and she began to appraise Kate of information that was coming out of HQ.

"The Prime Minister has been on the telephone asking for an explanation for the rift and power outage across the City. The emergency committee attempted to convene without your involvement but some were unable to physically get there and those that were there didn't have the means to find out what was going on outside." Kate let out a frustrated sigh; they were just going to have to wait until she was back at base and had answers herself. When was the British government going to learn that she had it all under control? Kate's mobile started ringing in her pocket and she took it out to see that it was Sarah Jane.

"Kate! What's going on down there? I'm on my way as I speak." Sarah sounded anxious, which was unusual for the experienced alien investigator.

"I'm still not quite sure myself but whatever it is, it's over now. Unfortunately Jack and Maria have gone missing? Martha's searching for them with one of my Captain's as we speak."

"Maria? Oh my god! We'll be there as soon as humanly possible."

"Sarah, are you alright?" Kate had no idea who Maria was or what she meant to her old friend.

"No, but I will be as soon as I find Maria." Kate didn't have time to sign off as Mickey interrupted and hailed her from Cardiff.

"Mickey, what is it?"

"We need your help, all of our equipment was affected by the power outage. None of the information we've got makes any sense." Normally there were protocols in place about sharing information with unsolicited groups like Torchwood but while they still had their Captain and another member of the team missing she felt duty bound to forego those protocols on this occasion. Besides, Sarah Jane had something to do with all this too and Kate felt like she owed it to her somehow.

"We still haven't got a handle on it ourselves but I'll get my assistant to organise something. Greyhound One out." Kate turned to Osgood and found that her ears had pricked up anyway. "Torchwood needs everything we've got on the event that just happened. Can you arrange a transfer of information but have a quick look at it first, let me know if they is anything that immediately jumps out at you?" Osgood was very quick and Kate knew that she was the right person for this task.

"Absolutely." The brunette scurried away and hopped back into a vehicle that would take her back to the Tower of London. No sooner had Osgood left the scene, the sky turned a luminescent blue once again. A beam of light appeared at the north end of Waterloo Bridge, so Kate ran towards it to get a closer look. She paused as she saw Sarah Jane with Martha, Captain Tate and several other people looking at it. Kate looked out across the river and down to the other end of the bridge, back towards where she'd just come from. Everyone and everything outside of the blue light seemed to move in slow motion. Those within the light, including herself, moved at their normal speed but they were mesmerised by what was happening in front of them. Kate witnessed one of the blue Fas cousins (a Star Poet from Archateen Four, she later found out) communicate silently with Sarah Jane before it materialised away, out of sight. It took the tunnel of blue light with it and left behind Jack and a young woman, who Kate presumed was Maria. It had been quite a beautiful sight to behold, Sarah Jane had laid her palm to that of the Star Poet's and they'd seemed to understand each other without words. Kate had seen many terrible things when dealing with extra-terrestrial visitors but fewer wondrous moments such as that.

Jack noticed that Kate had been stood observing the entire scene so went to talk to her.

"Thanks for helping us out there, wasn't quite sure what we were up against."

"Jack, there's a bloody great big rift in the middle of my city! What on earth has been going on?" Kate made sure her tone reflected her short fuse and Jack immediately picked up on it so tried to diffuse the situation with humour.

"About that, yeah. A present? Wasn't sure your boys had enough to do these days." Jack winked and gave Kate his best charming grin. Fortunately she was immune to his particular brand of flirting.

"Harkness, this is no time for humour. What led up to this? Why London? What were they exactly?"

"I'll have all the answers for you Stewart but right now I've got to reassemble my team." Kate knew there was no point in pushing him any further at that moment, there were too many other things going on.

"Just make sure you do." Kate looked back at the action and saw Sarah Jane retreating from the scene with the rest of the Torchwood team following behind.

* * *

Kate sat in her office and read through the multitude of reports she had to write and file just to deal with the events of the day. She had telephoned the Prime Minister and they'd spoken at length. The PM was most definitely not happy when she heard about Torchwood's involvement, apparently it hadn't been made clear to her that they had rebuilt since the 456 and that the rift in Cardiff was once again active. Kate felt like she was on the back foot and her confidence wavered slightly. She realised that she ought to have understood the extent of the rift's repair and Torchwood's re-emergence as a fully complimented team. Somehow Sarah Jane was also involved with the rogue institution, something she had never thought her old friend would get mixed up with. Kate realised that she'd have to take advantage of their friendship to find out more, but not right at that moment. Jack had been true to his word and had sent Kate everything they had on The Fas and Star Poets. She'd been grateful and it raised her hopes slightly that they could perhaps develop a more cohesive working relationship going forward. Kate had her scientists analysing the energy signatures in an attempt to work out why they couldn't tell the difference between The Fas and the real Cybermen and Daleks. She didn't want to get caught out like that again, it was almost embarrassing. A knock at the door broke her concentration.

"Come in," Kate called out absentmindedly Osgood appeared at the door, a paper bag in her hand and a tablet in the other. She entered and closed the door behind her. "Osgood, what are you still doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you?" She deposited the tablet on the surface of the desk and opened the paper bag. She took out a Tupperware container and some cutlery and placed them in front of Kate. "Dinner. Because I know you haven't eaten." Osgood then got up, fished around on the shelf behind Kate and prepared some fresh coffee for them both. Kate twisted around in her chair to address her assistant.

"I… this is… I don't know what to say." No one had ever done anything like this for her before.

"Just eat up, before it gets cold." Osgood turned away from what she was doing for a moment to respond.

"What is it?"

"Nothing special, just lentil and vegetable pasta, but it should fill a gap." Osgood shrugged nonchalantly and then paused, suddenly unsure if she'd done the right thing or not.

"Thank you, you really didn't need to though." Kate felt mildly embarrassed by the servitude; she'd always been the sort of person who would prefer to do things herself.

"Oh, you _have_ eaten already?" Kate and Osgood shared a mutual dry sense of humour; it was what had helped Kate through those initial few weeks as Head of Scientific Research.

"No, no. It's just… that's not your job." Osgood grinned widely at Kate then.

"I know it's not my job you daft thing! I did it because I'm your _friend_ and I care about you." It went far deeper than that for Osgood and the event with The Fas had somehow brought her feelings to the forefront of her mind and she'd seen them for what they really were. But she wasn't ready to deal with them herself yet, let alone tell Kate. For now their friendship was enough. Kate really didn't know what to say to that, so turned to her meal and peeled open the lid. Her stomach rumbled loudly in anticipation and she suddenly realised just how hungry she was. Osgood had nearly finished with the coffee and she smiled to herself as she surreptitiously watched Kate tuck in with gusto. She brought the coffee over to the desk and sat herself opposite Kate, turning on the tablet as she did so and glancing over her report and the results she wanted to discuss with her boss.

"How did you feel about today? About being in the middle of the action?" Kate had wondered if the anxiety Osgood had obviously felt at the scene would have a detrimental effect on her confidence and perhaps, in hindsight, she might be rethinking her current role. Not that Kate had any evidence to that effect.

"Honestly?" Kate nodded, if they really were friends then she wanted the truth. "Scared, excited, nervous. Everything all at once." Osgood had reached for her inhaler a number of times, had to use it too but she'd tried not to in front of Kate, she hadn't wanted to seem over anxious and not good enough for the job.

"Like I said at the time, that's a perfectly natural reaction. How do you feel about next time?" Kate continued to chomp away at the pasta in front of her.

"Fine, I think. I want to be involved, I felt useful. I just don't know whether it's enough." Her lack of self-confidence shone through in both her words and body language and Kate thought it was a shame. Osgood was one of the very best and most talented scientists she had ever worked with.

"It was plenty enough Osgood, you did everything I needed you to and then some. By the way, about that inhaler of yours…" Osgood flushed crimson, embarrassed that she'd been caught out. "Just use it when you need to, if you want me to remind you I will." Kate waved her fork in Osgood's direction; a pasta spiral speared one the end of it, which wobbled as Kate gestured with her arm.

"I'm sorry, I thought you might think me… defective, not up to the job, if I told you." Kate chuckled lightly, not wanting to trivialise things but she wanted to make it seem normal at the same time.

"Gordy had childhood asthma from the age of seven. He's just about grown out of it now but still suffers when he's stressed or has a bad cold." There was a moment or two of silence and Osgood picked up her coffee and took a sip.

"Thank you."

"Goes without saying, _friend_." They grinned at each other then, both comfortable in their friendship and ability to navigate their working relationship around that.

"I've got the results of the energy signature comparisons, it makes for very interesting reading." Osgood got down to business, as much as she was enjoying Kate's company and their banter, she knew that they had a job to do too.

"Is there a way we can tell the difference between the real thing and a species masquerading as something else?"

"Yes, but minutely, at least with The Fas. Any other shape-shifting species and I'd have no idea. But this is something we can work on, get our technology to evolve the more we know."

"I want you to get a team together to work on this as a project. Concentrate on Cybermen and Daleks, for obvious reasons as well as the fact that they are probably our most dangerous threat. Once we're sure about them we can build in other species."

"I'm almost one step-ahead of you there. I've got a proposal outlined, I'll send it through for the sake of being thorough but it's essentially the same premise."

"Great, I knew there was a reason we worked well together! I don't want you to get too heavily involved, delegate it to someone who you think is capable but not Malcolm. I've got too much I need you for to get too tied up with it."

"Understood. What are you going to do about Torchwood?" Kate let out a frustrated sigh. She pushed away the now empty Tupperware and reached for her coffee.

"That's a headache I could really do without, the Prime Minister is not happy. I'm suitably embarrassed by the fact that somehow I'd taken my eye off the ball with that one. I knew Harkness was back on the scene and that the rift had been gaining strength, just not that he'd recruited a whole new team and that the rift is now fully active. We're going to have to do a lot of liaison work before this new one spits out goodness knows what sort of nasties. I need to speak with Harkness to find out what else had been going on besides this recent event. I'm keen to develop a more practical working relationship with Torchwood than my predecessors. The reality is that there here to stay, if we can form some sort of alliance, even if grudgingly, then it would make all of our lives easier."

"That makes sense but from what I know of Harkness he won't be that easy to convince." Osgood had read up on all the Torchwood files that had been made available to her. Her new role as Kate's assistant had increased her security clearance to level two but a lot of the Torchwood files were at level one. Kate had let her have access to relevant level one information every so often, on the sly, but generally it wasn't open to her.

"No, I doubt it too, but I have to try." If nothing else, she had to prove to the Prime Minister that she was on it and competent at her job, because it wasn't looking particularly good for her at the moment.

"Where are you going to start?" Osgood was keen to help in any way she could, anything to take some of the load off Kate too.

"Martha Jones might be an initial way in as she's worked for UNIT before and still does us the odd favour on occasion. I have a few other ideas and some contacts, I'll let you know how I get on." Osgood seemed a bit miffed by Kate's secrecy and her reluctance to expand any further on the subject, but she trusted her and knew that she hadn't divulged for a reason. Kate's main reason being that she knew she also had to speak to Sarah Jane but that would begin with a more personal conversation and she wasn't ready to explain that part of her life to Osgood just yet.


	7. A Line Is Crossed - Part 1

**An interlude: June 2012**

Osgood was a perceptive person as well as a brilliant scientist, so she could tell a mile off when something wasn't right with her boss. It was just catching a moment when she could question her about it that she had to orchestrate. Fortunately she found the perfect opening when they just happened to go for lunch at the same time and Osgood decided to sit at the same bench.

It was warm and bright but the evening promised rain, so there was a slight breeze which caused the hairs on Osgood's arms to rise slightly. She wore a long-sleeved shirt, corduroy jeans and a bow tie but had foregone a jumper. The underground tunnels and rooms of the tower could get quite chilly so she usually had a one around, just in case. Kate sat at her usual bench with her lunch box and cup of tea in a thermos flask beside her. She was dressed immaculately in a pair of dark slacks, a light blouse and silk scarf around her neck. Osgood took a few moments to unobtrusively observe her friend. Ever since the incident with the Fas, Osgood had realised and acknowledged that she had feelings for Kate. She'd always dismissed it as a crush and then when Kate had moved on to pastures new, she had put the older woman to the back of her mind. Since they had reacquainted and worked even closer with each other, that chemistry between them had been harder to ignore. Osgood made a gentle approach towards the bench and hovered over Kate's shoulder for a moment or two before disturbing her peace.

"Do you mind if I sit down?"

"No, of course not." Kate acknowledged her assistant with a smile and shuffled around to make room. "Make yourself comfortable." She then continued to eat her sandwich in comfortable silence. To buy herself a bit of time, Osgood observed the tourists milling around them, having absolutely no idea what went on inside the building. Of course, people were now aware of UNIT's existence, but they tried to keep their locations as secret from the general public as possible. If they saw the general comings and goings of military officers, no one ever seemed to question it. This time of year they were inundated with swathes of school children on trips to pack out their weeks until the end of term. Then the early tourists would start to arrive, usually Americans as their holidays began much earlier than the British summer break and then it would be the summer holidays where no one would be able to move. Luckily UNIT had their own entrances and exits and were rarely troubled by the increase in footfall; it was just lunchtimes spent in relative peace on a bench outside that became nigh on impossible.

"Are you alright?" Osgood eventually broke the silence, having decided that she'd given her friend enough time to herself.

"Fine, why?" Kate turned to look at Osgood then.

"I don't know, you just seem…. distracted." Kate sighed deeply.

"Nothing gets past you does it? I do hope it's not been that obvious?" Kate prided herself on her professionalism and would be embarrassed if she thought that she'd come across otherwise.

"Only to me." Kate smiled gratefully at the younger woman then. She valued their friendship immensely and always felt humbled by Osgood's thoughtfulness and insight. She looked around them just to double check they were alone.

"Jonathan's been in touch," Kate confessed and at Osgood's confused look she clarified. "Gordy's father." Osgood's eyebrows rose skyward; as far as she was aware they'd not spoken since they had spilt up when Gordon was only two years old.

"What does he want?" As soon as Osgood said it she realised how stupid her question had sounded; he was the boy's father, what else could he want?

"He wants to see him and catch up with me." Osgood couldn't help but choke on her sandwich at that, getting friendly with her ex was the last thing she would have expected of Kate. She did also half-wonder, with a tinge of jealousy, if they'd give a relationship another go, even though she knew they were both gay and so much time had passed. Having a child together must create a certain bond between two people so she didn't think it was such a crazy notion.

"Oh no, not like that!" Kate chuckled, "There's absolutely no danger of that for either of us, I can promise you." Kate didn't quite understand why she felt it was so important for Osgood to understand that, but she did.

"Oh…" Osgood probably sounded as relieved as she felt, she just hoped that Kate wasn't quite as perceptive as she had been. "How do you feel about that?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't naive enough to think that he'd never get in touch but I had put it out of my mind. It has been nearly twenty years after all!" Early on Kate had been conflicted between feeling guilty for pushing Jonathan out of the picture, but happy that she wasn't tied to someone she wasn't in love with.

"Has he given you a reason as to why he's made contact now?" Osgood thought that something must have sparked off the sudden interest in his son.

"He's recently moved back to the UK permanently. I'm not sure if he just wants to meet Gordy or try to have some sort of a proper relationship with him. I suppose it depends on how their first meeting goes and then they'll take it from there." Kate had already struggled with 'losing' her son to adulthood and the fact that although they were still very close, their relationship had inevitably changed because of it. She wondered if it would be tested further by the introduction of his father and he'd think differently of the decision she had made all those years ago.

"Have you spoken to Gordon about it?"

"No, not yet." Apart from the fact that she hadn't had any time to speak to him, she wanted to delay that conversation for as long as she could. She wanted to get her own thoughts and feelings on the matter right in her head first.

"Does he know what happened? Why you split up in the first place?"

"He knows everything. Obviously not until he was old enough to understand, but I've never kept anything a secret from him. I've never bad mouthed Jonathan either, there was no need to. We both made our decisions based on our circumstances at the time, rightly or wrongly, and we have to live with that."

"Do you think you made the right decision in hindsight?" Osgood didn't think it was an unjustified or intrusive question, especially coming from a good friend.

"I honestly don't know. I'm a very different person to who I was then. If you'd have told me that I would be sitting here today, in my dad's old shoes, I'd have thought it was an elaborate joke. So how could I have predicted anything else?"

"Sounds reasonable enough. How do you feel about meeting up with him yourself? Do you want to?"

"I'm interested to find out what he's done with his life, if he's okay. He was always a good friend and part of me still cares about him. I'm a bit frightened that he regrets his decision and might want to blame me for him missing out on his son's life, which I can understand up to a certain point. I think I just need to deal with it head on."

"If you needed any support, I'd be happy to go with you."

"Thank you, that's very kind. I can't imagine it would be terribly interesting for you though, we'd end up talking about our past and old times at best and arguing at worst. So I wouldn't want to subject you to that ordeal! I know Jonathan's got a partner, that he's married, so whether I get to meet him too I don't know."

* * *

Kate met up with Jonathan a week or so later and it hadn't been as awkward as she feared it might have been. He'd hardly changed at all, just a bit older with a dusting of grey hair at his temples and a few wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. He noted that Kate had changed a lot, she seemed energised and more put together than she had been previously. She explained what she felt she could about her job but he'd already heard about UNIT and challenged her about it. She'd been reluctant to go into details but she did eventually confirm that she was in charge of the Taskforce. Jonathan had been surprised, given her vocal opinions in regards to the military in the past. She had then explained the science-based nature of the Taskforce now and that her mission was to change their 'gung-ho' approach. He was impressed and wished her luck, he'd heard about alien visitors but had assumed it was all a bit science fiction until he'd found out a bit more about UNIT.

Kate had asked Jonathan about his husband, how they'd met and how long they'd been together. He explained that he had been living in Australia for eight years or so and they'd met at a sports club. Kate was genuinely very pleased for him. She'd asked if he had thought about Gordy and what his expectations were for their first meeting. Jonathan had confessed that he'd never really stopped thinking about him, that he had almost instantly regretted his decision and had felt a little under pressure because of her. But he also acknowledged that he hadn't been ready for the responsibility, that he had needed to be free to travel and do all the other things that he wanted to. He was sorry that he had missed out on Gordy growing up but he didn't want to take anything away from Kate. He just wanted the chance to meet his grown up son face to face, answer any questions he might have and take it from there. Only with Kate's blessing though, he didn't want to tread on any toes.

Kate had already spoken to Gordy about the prospect of meeting his father. He had expressed an interest but hadn't wanted to upset his mum. She'd of course said that she was happy as long as he was and that she'd expected this day to come. She relayed this to Jonathan and he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and hoped that he and Kate might become friends again. She didn't see any reason why they shouldn't, particularly for Gordy's sake, but her work did tend to keep her away from socialising. Then Jonathan had asked if she was seeing anyone romantically and she'd laughed, that was one area where she hadn't really changed, that she still didn't do relationships but hadn't been short of company over the years. Jonathan remarked that it was a shame and surely everyone needed someone in their life? Kate got defensive and that was the end of that conversation.

* * *

 **June 2012**

Osgood liked travelling by tube; it had been one of her first passions, besides the whole thing with aliens, when she was younger. She had obsessively documented her visits, noted what stations she'd been to and had taken photographic evidence at times too. She really enjoyed visiting some of the older stations that hadn't been modernised and still had the original signage and decor. She'd always been comfortable travelling by herself and did that typical commuter thing of zoning out of the sardine-like environment, ignoring all the frustrated sighs and petty squabbles over personal space and went into her own head for safety. She thought about all sorts of things; analysed her day, thought about what she was going to cook for dinner that evening or solved a work related problem. She had read dozens of books on her commute, mainly fiction because she read so much non-fiction for work, although many people still believed that in her job the truth was far stranger than any sort of fiction they'd ever read!

It was very late so despite it being June it was getting dark but there was still a lingering warmth from earlier in the day. Unusually there were no other passengers waiting on the platform at Tower Hill besides herself. The sign above her head said that she had three minutes until the next train so she prepared herself for a short wait. Osgood was just ticking off a list in her head of things she wanted to do when she got home, not least of all spend a bit of time enjoying some cuddles with Tommy, when she noticed the headlights of the train in the tunnel on its approach. She tended to stand at the very beginning of the platform so that she was in exactly the right place for the exit at the other end. The bright headlights set within the round face of the train, and the windows on either side, made it look like a big caterpillar or a bug of some kind. She'd clearly seen too much Thomas the Tank Engine when she was younger and for a long time had thought that all trains had personalities and conversations with each other when they went to bed in the train shed each night!

Something crept down her spine and made her shiver all of a sudden as the train continued on its approach. Something felt off and she felt the pressure of her anxiety tighten in her chest. The train came to a screeching halt in front of her and it made the usual chugging noise as steam rose up from underneath the carriages. But the steam and smoke didn't stop flowing and the doors hadn't opened either. Osgood looked inside the carriages, jogging all the way down the platform as she did so, unable to see a single person on the train, not even a driver. She thumped the doors in a bid to get them to open, called out to a guard, someone, anyone around who could hear her. The fog enveloped the entire tunnel, covering the two platforms so she couldn't see further than the end of her nose. She began to feel panic setting in, with no way out and no one seemingly around to come to her aid. She was underground so her mobile phone was of no use. She began to retrace her steps and tried to feel her way out of the tunnel so she could get to relative safety. Even if she just made it back to the ticket office, there was bound to be someone else there. Then, as suddenly as it had happened, it was all over and Osgood found herself at the beginning of the platform where she had been stood before. She was at her usual spot and the time on the ticker still indicated three minutes until the train was due but now there were plenty of people on the platform with her on both sides. She went up to one couple who were in conversation about something or other and looked like they had been standing there for a while.

"Did you just see that?" They looked at her blankly for a moment. "The train with no one on it and all the fog that just suddenly disappeared?" They shook their heads.

"No love, sorry." Osgood was confused; it was real, had certainly felt real, down to the chill she'd felt when the fog had spread throughout the tunnel.

"You must have done? You can't have missed it?" They shook their heads again and she could tell that she was beginning to worry them. So she left them alone, fled the platform, exited through the barriers and back out to the fresh air. She grabbed hold of the inhaler in her pocket and took a couple of puffs and then practised some deep breathing to calm herself down. She knew she hadn't imagined what she had just seen, even if she was the only one to have seen it. Something wasn't right about what she'd just experienced and she knew that she had to take it to someone who would believe her. Besides, she really didn't want to be on her own for the rest of the evening after what had just happened.

* * *

"Mum…!?" Kate looked up from her book in the direction of the front door. After a long couple of weeks she'd finally made a point of leaving her office early for a change and having some downtime, even if only for a couple of hours. She'd had a leisurely dinner and a glass of wine and now she was lounging on the settee with a book she'd been meaning to read for months.

"Gordon?" No sooner had she said it, the young man himself poked his head through the living room doorway.

"Hi Mum!" He sounded in a very good mood and made his way over to the settee. Kate put her book down on the coffee table as he leaned down to give his mum a peck on the cheek by way of greeting.

"Not that it isn't lovely to see you but what are you doing here?" He'd not called or texted to say he was coming, at least as far as she was aware.

"I thought I'd come and visit my mum. Hope that's okay?" He slung his rucksack into a corner of the room and shrugged off his light summer jacket, dumping it carelessly on top of his discarded bag.

"It's fine, this is still your home for as long as you want it to be. Just a bit of warning next time wouldn't go amiss." Not that it was a problem, secretly she was delighted Gordy had stopped by.

"Yeah, sorry. It was all a bit last minute. Toby had tickets for a concert in Wembley tomorrow night and his brother cancelled. He asked if I wanted to take his place." Ah, so it wasn't really about visiting her then. She raised her eyebrows at him with a smirk and he shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, I wanted to see you too!" Kate chuckled at his sheer cheek at just wanting a place to crash for a couple of nights.

"Yeah, yeah, likely story! You're here now, do you need something to eat?"

"A sandwich would be great, I haven't eaten since lunch."

"Oh you poor starving student! You know where the kitchen is…" He pouted and she gave him the patented Lethbridge-Stewart glare she had been on the receiving end of so often from her father. He went through to the kitchen anyway and began to rummage around in the fridge. "Mine's a cuppa!" Kate called out after him and she could hear him chuckling loudly. They had a wonderful relationship, built up with a lot of hard work and many years of it essentially just being the two of them. Kate was really proud of him, going off and doing his own thing, not feeling obligated to follow in hers or her father's footsteps. He'd overcome difficulties at school with certain subjects and making friends and had seemed to have found his way now that he was in university. Even though it had been a surprise, Kate was more than a bit pleased that Gordon had come home for a couple of days.

* * *

Osgood arrived at the end of the road and took out her mobile phone. She'd tried calling a couple of times but it had just rung out. She wasn't worried but it was unusual. She'd been here a couple of times before, once to drop something off when Kate had the flu just after Christmas and another time before they'd been out for birthday drinks nearby. Kate had invited her to crash in the guest room afterwards but Osgood had wanted to get back home for Tommy. She tentatively stepped up and rang the doorbell, still shaken by her experience and unsure if she was doing the right thing or not. A young man answered, shaggy strawberry blonde hair seemed to cover his head in all manner of directions. He had a round face and his smile seemed genuine.

"Can I help you?" Osgood immediately recognised him from one of the many photographs Kate had on her desk and realised that he must be Gordon. She felt guilty for intruding, of course, why wouldn't Kate have left early this afternoon to spend some family time with her son? She was an idiot and she should really have thought about it before she'd make the journey over here. She shouldn't have come anyway, she was probably just being paranoid, the result of too many long days and just needed a decent night's sleep. What did she even think Kate was going to do about it anyway?

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll um… I've got to….sorry." She turned away and started to walk off back down the road. Gordon was bemused and shook his head as he closed the door.

"Who was that Gordy?"

"I don't know, seemed to change her mind." He thought about it for a second and something made him elaborate. "You don't know a woman with dark round glasses and long dark hair in a ponytail do you?" Kate immediately brought to mind Osgood and leapt out of her chair. She went into the kitchen and scrabbled around to find her mobile, finally noticing the missed calls from her friend and assistant.

"Shit!" Kate exclaimed as she slipped on a pair of flat shoes, grabbed her keys and ran out of the door. She managed to spot Osgood just at the bottom of the road. "Osgood!" The younger woman turned round at the sound of Kate's voice and stopped so Kate could catch up with her. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" The concern was apparent in her voice and Osgood felt guilty for disturbing her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, I'm just being silly. I didn't realise Gordon was visiting, your family time is more important." Osgood seemed shy and embarrassed and Kate felt guilty, surely her friend should know by now that it wouldn't be a problem?

"I didn't know he was coming, he just turned up an hour or so ago. I'm sure whatever is worrying you isn't silly otherwise you wouldn't have made such an effort to get here. Why don't you come back inside? Stay for a cup of tea at least and tell me everything?" Kate was far too kind and Osgood felt like a complete idiot. Really, it was probably her mind playing tricks on her.

"I really should be getting home for Tommy." The poor cat didn't see her much as it was and he'd be wondering where his dinner was. Although, she knew he'd be alright really. She suspected one of the neighbours also fed him regularly as he'd out on a bit of weight recently and she was quite particular about his diet.

"You haven't been home yet?!" Kate knew that she had a terrible habit of working late into the night and Osgood tended to stay with her on many of those occasions, but she thought that the younger woman would have taken advantage of her absence and gone home early herself.

"No, I came straight from the Tower."

"Did something happen there? Why didn't someone get me sooner?" Although, Kate realised that she hadn't actually been checking her phone for messages. Someone would surely have called her on the land line in an emergency though?

"Everything's fine as far as I know. It was just me, it's silly really. Just ignore me, it was stupid of me to come here." Poor Osgood wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She wondered what Kate must think of her to cause so much of a fuss over nothing. They were friends, good friends, but Osgood still had a desire to impress her boss and prove her worth.

"What happened to you? Are you hurt? Please, come home and we can talk about this properly." Osgood felt like crying there and then, all her emotions bubbled up to the surface. She'd bottled up just how frightened she'd been so she could get here and now Kate was offering her a chance to offload and something in her broke. She nodded up at her friend and allowed herself to be led back to the house. "Gordon, can you make everyone a cup of tea?" Her son nodded and went off into the kitchen without asking anything further. He trusted his mum and knew it must be important. "Sit down here and make yourself comfortable." Osgood teared up a little and Kate couldn't help but wrap her arms around her. "It's okay, whatever has happened you're safe now." She kissed the top of her forehead in a gesture of comfort and pulled back to give Osgood some space. Gordon came back into the room with the tea and some biscuits as well.

"Hi, I'm Gordy. We met briefly earlier." He stuck his hand out by way of greeting. Osgood looked up at him and smiled gratefully and shook his hand in return.

"Osgood, I work with your mum."

"Ah, so you're Osgood. Mum's told me a lot about you. Your dad worked with Granddad in the _olden_ days."

"Oi you! Less of the cheek!" Kate playfully swatted him on the shoulder.

"And that's my cue! I'm off up to bed." He knew when he was surplus to requirements and could tell there was something the elder adults needed to talk about in private.

"Don't stay up playing computer games all night!" Kate called after him as he began to ascend the stairs.

"I won't." Gordy replied with a jaunty grin and a chuckle. Kate turned to Osgood and whispered loudly.

"He will." There was silence after the amusing interlude for a few moments until they heard the bedroom door shut.

"He seems lovely. It was nice to finally meet him." Osgood was in awe of the banter between mother and son. She had a great relationship with her father but her family had always seemed so much more serious than other families.

"Yeah, he's a good kid." Kate said wistfully. "Now, onto you. Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Kate prodded Osgood gently with a finger on her shoulder.

"You'll think it's silly." Of course she would, Osgood herself felt it was silly and came over all embarrassed once again.

"I think I'll be the judge of that. Besides, it was enough to make you come here this late in the evening." Osgood took a deep breath and explained what had happened at the tube station, about the fact that no one else but her seemed to have experienced it and how it had made her feel afterwards.

"Do you think it's alien in origin?" Kate asked the obvious question.

"Maybe, I don't know but it was most definitely strange." Kate stood up and went to a large wooden cabinet at the side of the room. She fumbled underneath a shelf and pulled out a tiny silver key. She opened the cabinet with said key and pulled out a device that Osgood hadn't seen before. It was a dull metallic grey colour, about one and a half times the size of a smart phone with a screen in the centre of it on one side and a scanning attachment on the other.

"I really shouldn't have this here. I had a friend who once got into a lot of trouble because of the unauthorised UNIT equipment he kept at his house. But I think, on this occasion, we can turn a blind eye?" Kate was subtly asking Osgood to keep it quiet and she nodded in agreement. Kate switched on the device and ran it over Osgood's body from head to toe. It made a series of beeps and Kate nodded, umm-ed and ahh-ed in thought afterwards.

"What's it for?" Osgood asked curiously.

"It scans for artron energy signatures mostly." Osgood knew well enough what Artron energy meant and swallowed down the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.

"And?"

"And whatever you've been in contact with tonight has left a trace. It was definitely alien." Osgood sighed in relief and felt like she could breathe again.

"So I'm not going mad?" Kate locked the device away once again and sat back down beside her friend. She chuckled gently as she placed a comforting hand on her friend's knee.

"No, you're not going mad. I never for one moment thought that you were." Kate knew better than to take these sorts of experiences at face value. Besides, she knew Osgood was an incredibly intelligent scientist and realised that she wouldn't have got so worked up over nothing. It had to be something significant for her to have been so scared and unsure as to seek her help in the middle of the night.

"What do we do now?"

"Well, it seems to have been an isolated experience, particular to you. At least so far. I think we should go back to Tower Hill station in the morning and take a team with some kit and check the whole area out." Osgood felt so grateful she promptly burst into tears. Kate felt her heart go out to her and scooped her up in another hug. "It's alright, you're safe now." Osgood looked up at Kate through her tears and saw how concerned and caring her expression was.

"Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for." Osgood didn't know where she had found her sudden bravery but with everything that had happened that evening, coupled with being in Kate's house, in her embrace, she surged forward and pressed her lips against her host's. For a second or two Kate was so surprised that she didn't know how to respond and then instinctively, she kissed her back. The soft, gentle kiss didn't last long but it was enough for something to have changed between them. Kate pulled back and they looked at each other as they tried to get their breath back. Osgood glanced down at her lap, suddenly shy and full of doubt.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" Kate reached out and tucked Osgood's stray bit of grown out fringe back behind her ear and then cupped her cheek, which made the younger woman meet her eyes once again.

"It's okay." Kate was mildly surprised to realise that it _was_ okay, that it had been a welcome gesture.

"I think I've wanted to do that for a while," and then some; but Osgood wasn't going to tell Kate that, at least not quite yet.

"Me too." Osgood's eyebrows rose in surprise. She had previously thought that the attraction she felt for her was one-sided.

They both seemed to decide that another kiss was overdue and they came together simultaneously. Osgood had more confidence this time, knowing that Kate wanted it too so she took a somewhat surprising lead. She angled herself as close as she could get while they still sat on the settee side by side. Her hand tangled in the short hair at the back of Kate's head and her other hand found its way to Kate's hip. Osgood's lips kissed and tasted the older woman's; the remnants of their tea and something else that was unique to Kate. It was intoxicating and Osgood knew that she wanted more, needed more. Kate wasn't passive either; she tried to pull the brunette even closer, almost mirroring her movements. It was too much and yet not enough at the same time.

Eventually, with the sheer weight of their uncoordinated movements, Osgood toppled Kate over and flat against the settee. They giggled at the absurdity of it but it did little to break the moment. They kissed passionately for long moments until the need to breathe outweighed their passion. Osgood couldn't believe that she was actually, finally, kissing Kate. She'd felt something simmering within her for so long that it had almost become a part of her. It had started innocently enough as the crush she had believed it to be and then she'd rationalised it in her own head, especially once Kate had left the labs to go on the development programme. But ever since Kate had hand-picked her to be her Personal Assistant, they'd grown even closer and the incident with The Fas had made her realise the true depth of her feelings, that she'd fallen for her friend. Kate pushed Osgood half off her so that they were lying facing each other, side by side, on the settee. Smaller, shorter kisses lasted a while longer before they finally felt the need to stop.

"Perhaps we should take this somewhere more comfortable?" The low, husky, aroused tone of Kate's voice sent waves of pleasure through Osgood. The older woman hadn't wanted to frighten her off by moving too fast, but at the same time wanted to prompt her into making some sort of a decision as to how far they were going to take things.

Kate's natural instinct was to take her pleasure where she could find it, which was usually a night of harmless, consensual fun with an attractive woman. However, something inside her head wanted her to stop, slow down and think about it for a moment. Osgood wasn't just anyone; firstly she was her colleague, a subordinate, but more importantly she was a friend. At the same time Kate's heart piped up with an irritating, thrumming, bubbly feeling; anticipation and anxiety but with a sort of relief at the same time. Being with Osgood like this felt different, almost like it was meant be. There wasn't enough time for Kate to think about it too much and her arousal was far stronger than her level-headed, scientifically-reasoned mind.

"Mmm hmm. What about Gordon?" Osgood agreed readily. Had she been with anyone else she would normally have hesitated but because it was Kate she had found a new confidence. She'd waited too long for this moment already and she didn't want to let the opportunity pass her by. Kate shook her head in answer to her question.

"We won't be disturbed." Apart from the fact that she was fairly certain Gordon would be playing his computer games until the small hours, once he'd become of age Kate had agreed certain house rules with him. She had wanted him to have the freedoms that she herself hadn't had when she was younger but with it came a mutual understanding that she was entitled to a private life too. From an early age, he'd been well aware of the fact that all her lovers had been female. Sarah Jane had been a familiar face and a family friend for years and his English teacher Beth was quite obviously more than a colleague and a friend. Although, it hadn't stopped him from sitting his mum down one day after school and asking her directly about it. Kate wasn't the sort of person to get embarrassed about these things and answered his questions openly and honestly. He'd been very accepting of the situation and asked if it mattered that he liked girls too, or was he supposed to like boys? She'd fought hard not to laugh out loud at that.

Kate scrambled off the settee first and held her hand out to Osgood for her to join her. Once up, Kate leaned in once again and kissed the brunette soundly. "Are you sure?" Osgood nodded and allowed Kate to lead her upstairs to her bedroom.

Kate's bedroom was fairly sparse, it was clear she didn't spend a huge amount of time here relaxing. Everything was neat and tidy and there wasn't any clutter on top of the wardrobes or chests of drawers. She had a small vanity where her make up and brushes sat; a hairdryer lay unplugged in the middle of it, presumably left over from earlier in the day. The walls were painted a light lavender colour but nothing overly garish or bold. It was surprisingly free from technology, no television or computer only a mobile phone charger was plugged into one of the sockets next to the alarm clock radio. Kate ushered Osgood into the room and then closed the door behind them. Now that they'd released some of the pent up passion they could take a bit more time and care with this next step.

"How long?" Kate asked the brunette, the words sounding loud in the stillness of the room, against the open spaces between the furniture. Osgood looked at her puzzled, not quite understanding the context of the question being asked of her. "How long have you wanted this?" Kate didn't quite understand why she was asking, but she felt that it was something she needed to know somehow.

"From the day you walked into the labs for the first time. You were so overwhelmed by everything, all clumsy and nervous but I could see that you were smart, too smart to be there." Osgood let the warmth of the feelings those memories evoked settle over her. Kate smiled gently; this woman with an apparent lack of self-confidence was more clued up than she was really. "What about you?" Osgood wasn't sure she really wanted to know and realised that it probably wasn't quite the same length of time for Kate.

"It's always been there, in the background. But it's been mainly since we started working with each other again." That made sense; they'd probably spent more time with each other in the last ten months than they had in the last seven years they'd known each other. And things had changed so much in that time; Kate was pretty much free to be herself, to be known as The Brigadier's daughter and Osgood had come a long way from her comfortable, unassuming role in the labs. She was now on the front line, being tested in ways she'd never thought possible before.

Kate mentally shook herself free from thinking too deeply about her feelings, as that nagging feeling in her heart started up again. She took in Osgood's flushed cheeks, full lips and her open expression and felt that unmistakable surge of desire. How had she survived without touching her before now? Now that they'd crossed a line she wanted more, so much more. Kate took a step towards the brunette and reached for the top button of her patterned shirt. For someone so conservative, Osgood had quite a bold, individual clothing style. She captured Osgood's lips in another kiss and managed to undo a couple of buttons with the dexterity of her fingers at the same time. Osgood wrapped her arms around Kate's back and up through her loose top so she could touch her soft, warm skin directly for the first time. Kate took a sharp intake of breath at the touch as she hadn't realised quite how much she'd missed physical contact.

Things progressed fairly rapidly between them and they eventually made it to the bed in a semi-clothed state. However, Osgood could tell that Kate was keeping herself in check, holding back for some reason.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" The younger woman wanted to double check before they went even further over the line they'd already crossed that evening. Kate nodded and looked Osgood in the eye.

"Of course, definitely." She was far too into it to stop herself and her heart was winning over her head, but her conscience still nagged away at her deep down.

"Then let go." Osgood whispered in Kate's ear as she worked to build up Kate's pleasure and bring her to orgasm. It seemed to be the permission Kate had been unconsciously looking for and she pushed those final emotional barriers to one side and let the moment consume her. Kate felt liberated and her connection with Osgood strengthened as she rode out the waves of her climax. Osgood had been confident but gentle and loving and continued to put Kate's needs first as she floated back down again. They each took a few moments to recover before Kate responded in kind and concentrated on giving Osgood the same care and attention. The younger woman had no such qualms about allowing herself to revel in the moment. After all, this was something she had wanted for quite some time and Kate was exceptionally good at making her feel good. Eventually they both fell into a peaceful, sated sleep.


	8. The Morning After - Part 2

The next morning Osgood awoke facing Kate's naked back, one arm slung over her middle the other caught somewhere underneath them. She moved slightly which seemed to rouse her lover. Kate stirred, turned to face Osgood and looked sleepily up at her with a grin.

"Hi." There was that husky tone in her voice again and it sent a small ripple of pleasure through Osgood.

"Hello," the younger woman replied, warm and content to stay where they were for as long as possible. Kate leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Osgood's lips which was returned immediately. Just as they were about to get deeper into it, Kate's mobile vibrated loudly on the bedside table next to her. She groaned and attempted to ignore it but it started up again. Osgood put a finger to Kate's lips to stop her. "It could be important." Kate sighed and nodded her head briefly.

"Hold that thought." Kate reached over and picked up her phone just as it went off again. It was UNIT HQ and she noted that it was 4.30 am. "Kate Stewart."

"Ma'am, sorry to wake you but we have a situation and you're needed urgently." The voice at the other end sounded apologetic but Kate could hear the urgency in the tone.

"What's happening Captain Tate?" If she was going to be of any help then she needed some details.

"Something peculiar at Waterloo Station Ma'am, Artron energy detected but species currently unidentifiable." It wasn't an unusual position to be in but in such a busy public space, UNIT certainly needed to act quickly.

"Public evacuated?" It was obvious but Kate needed to make sure before the media got wind of the situation and created a circus which impeded the Taskforce's ability to do its job and ensure public safety.

"Yes Ma'am."

"I'm on my way." Kate ended the call and put her phone back on the side.

"What's up?" Osgood knew that it was UNIT, what else could it have been at this hour?

"There's a situation at Waterloo Station, I'm not sure what it is but we're needed. I'm sorry, I know we probably ought to talk about this…" Osgood shook her head, more than understanding the situation at hand.

"It's fine, let's deal with this first." Kate paused to look at her intently and they came together, passionately but swiftly once again. Hopefully it would be enough to get them through the day ahead. They leapt out of bed; better to rip the plaster off all at once, and dressed quickly. Kate paused for a moment, having just remembered that Osgood had come over straight from work the previous evening. Osgood inclined her head in an unasked question.

"Perhaps you should go home first, have a shower and get a change of clothes?"

"I've got spares at the Tower. If you go to Waterloo first, I can bring anything you need with me when I join you."

"Good idea." Kate walked out of the door and went downstairs to pick up her tablet, UNIT ID badge and shoved all sorts of other bits and bobs into her bag. Osgood took a few moments to look wistfully at the dishevelled bed they were leaving behind them as she finished tying the laces of her trainers. She knew that something had irrevocably changed between them last night and she was excited to see where it would lead them. She exited the bedroom and shut the door behind her but was stopped at the top of the stairs by Gordon. She flushed crimson in embarrassment at having been caught sneaking out of his mother's bedroom.

"Morning!" He said cheerfully and there was a knowing glint in his eye.

"Er, yes. Good morning." He chuckled at her embarrassment.

"It's alright, I half wondered if you'd end up staying." Osgood wondered what he meant by that. Did Kate do this sort of thing very often? They heard a clatter from downstairs, followed by an expletive.

"I'd better go."

"Hey, don't look so worried. You seem nice, I approve. Not that Mum needs my approval." Osgood gave him a brief but hesitant smile and headed downstairs to see what Kate had been swearing about.

* * *

Kate arrived at Waterloo station with 'the dogs;' her team of first line defence troops, armed with laser guns and modified ammunition guns. They covered every entrance and exit imaginable - no mean feat for such a large rail station. She entered with a team from the main entrance by the old Eurostar concourse. Her hands were in their customary position; resting inside her trouser pockets, which gave her an air of casual confidence and authority. Her gaze was immediately drawn to a couple of figures underneath the clock - a classic meeting place, usually reserved for potential lovers meeting on a blind date.

"I thought this place had been evacuated?" Kate hollered at Captain Tate who stood by her side.

"It had Ma'am."

"Then who are those people and what are they still doing here?" She shook her head disapprovingly and stormed off in the direction of the intruders. It became apparent quite quickly that they were familiar to her and on her approach they stopped what they were doing to see what had disturbed them. "Sarah!" Kate beamed at her old friend, she should have known that she would have already been on the case.

"Kate! It's so good to see you." Sarah Jane went to hug Kate and was given a warm reception, something her minders in black were surprised to witness. Kate had never given her colleagues the impression of someone who invited much in the way of physical contact. Kate recognised the younger woman who stood next to Sarah Jane and she stuck out her hand by way of greeting. There hadn't been any time for introductions during the incident with The Fas.

"Kate Stewart; Head of Scientific Research, UNIT." Maria shook Kate's hand and was mildly surprised by the strength of her grip; for all her bravado Kate was a slight, gentle and kind woman.

"Maria Jackson; Head of Torchwood Three, Cardiff." Kate's eyebrows rose skyward. She'd heard something on the grapevine about Harkness doing a bunk but she'd been unable to confirm it until now.

"Wow, you weren't quite what I was expecting, you're no Jack Harkness." Maria couldn't quite tell from Kate's tone whether her tenure was met with approval or derision. She had yet to familiarise herself with Kate and her dry sense of humour.

"I should think not!" Pleasantries aside, it was time to get down to business.

"What have we got?" Kate seamlessly switched back into business mode.

"Come and take a look at this Kate." Sarah Jane beckoned her over to a silver spherical object on the floor. "Look familiar?" Kate nodded thoughtfully before she gave voice to her fears.

"Don't touch it! It can't be them, they were banished to another dimension, what… sixteen years ago?" Maria looked between the two knowing that she was missing something. She was of course very aware that they already knew each other but despite all she had seen and done, she was still many years behind them in terms of experience. "Has it moved? Is this the only one?"

"We found it like this. So far it appears to be the only one but we can't be too complacent." Kate turned to address her aide who had caught up with her.

"Captain Tate, seal off this area and isolate the sphere. Whatever you do, DO NOT allow anyone to touch it. The consequences could be disastrous." She turned back to face Sarah Jane and Maria "How do we even know it's _them_ if there's only one?" As if on cue, an eerie mist came up around them. It was dense and seemed to fill the entire station. "Stand back! Don't let it come anywhere near you if you can help it." Kate fumbled around in her pockets but she didn't have the device she needed on her at that moment. After a minute or so the fog disappeared down into the entrance of the tube and the concourse was clear.

"Kate! Kate!" Osgood appeared from where Kate had arrived earlier and she ran towards them waving a device in her hands. Osgood nearly had to stop herself from running headfirst into the group in her over-excitement and she wheezed slightly as she tried to catch her breath.

"Inhaler!" Kate instinctively reminded her as she heard the tell-tale wheeze and Osgood took a deep draw on her blue lifeline. She mentally calmed herself down as she let the steroid do its work. After a few moments she felt better and was able to continue speaking.

"That was it, that's what I saw last night. You all just saw that too, right?" Luckily everyone nodded and Osgood felt relieved "Oh thank goodness, I'm not going mad."

"Osgood, this is Sarah Jane Smith. Sarah, my assistant, Osgood." Sarah stuck out her hand to the younger woman and Osgood shook it.

"Sarah Jane Smith; companion of the Doctor, long association with UNIT and friend of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Privileged to meet you at last Ms Smith." Osgood had heard a lot about Sarah Jane, mostly from the archives and usually in association with the Doctor or Kate's father. However, she was also aware of the many alien-related incidents that mysteriously seemed to sort themselves out before UNIT could do anything about them, all centred in or around Ealing which was co-incidentally where Sarah lived.

"I'm impressed, you know your UNIT history." Sarah Jane addressed her companion. "Maria?" The younger woman drew herself closer to the scientist and held her hand out for Osgood to take.

"Maria Jackson, Head of Torchwood Three and Sarah Jane's better half." An awkward silence fell between the group and Sarah Jane and Kate looked at each other in surprise. Sarah Jane was caught unaware because she hadn't expected Maria to say it and Kate was a little surprised because she hadn't worked out the exact nature of the relationship between them. Osgood also felt awkward, she and Kate had yet to define exactly what was going on between them after the night before and it seemed to be left hanging in the air between them. Osgood remembered herself and returned Maria's handshake. She then brought everyone's attention back to the device in her hand.

"I managed to capture some of that, not all of it but it should be enough for what we need." Osgood passed the device to Kate, their fingertips brushed slightly and they both reacted to the touch. Kate looked directly at Osgood and blushed, ever so slightly, from the contact but they smiled gently at each other and Osgood felt a little better about their situation. Kate looked at the device and ran a match against her theory, it beeped loudly in confirmation.

"You were right, it is The Great Intelligence. Captain Tate, we need to seal off the entire London Underground network in the interests of public safety now, as quickly as possible." Kate was well versed in the history and behaviour of these creatures now, much more so than when she had first encountered them with Sarah Jane nearly twenty years ago.

"But Ma'am, it will soon be rush hour, you'll shut down the entire city!"

"I don't care, these creatures are ruthless, once touched by the mist you will be forever changed and we can't let that happen on a potentially massive scale."

"What about the stations which are above ground?"

"If they wanted the whole of London they'd have done it another way. There must be something keeping them Underground. Any change let me know immediately, understood?"

"Yes Ma'am." Captain Tate went back to the troops and relayed the message.

"Osgood?"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Can you get as much information from the sphere as you can and then come back to the Tower and give me a report on your findings? I want to know why it's not moving, if it's just dormant or it's dead or whatever the hell is going on with it. There's got to be more than one, the Great Intelligence has no physical form aside from this or the mist. Unless of course someone comes into contact with them and then who knows what sort of a beast we'll encounter then!"

"Yeti." Sarah Jane responded to the rhetorical question.

"Yes, Yeti." Kate confirmed her thinking.

"I'll get right to it." Osgood replied to Kate's previous question and went off to start work on gartering the required data. Instructions she could deal with, there would be time later to talk about the shift in their relationship.

"Sarah Jane, Maria? I don't want to leave you out of this now that you're involved. Though it pains me to say it, do you think we'd do better if we worked together?" Kate was only even suggesting it because Sarah Jane was an old friend and with Maria being the new incumbent of the Head of Torchwood Three, she'd do well to earn some brownie points. Much easier without Harkness in any case.

"Sounds like a plan." Maria replied and Kate was immediately impressed, most definitely not Jack Harkness and it seemed Torchwood was at the start of a new era. Sarah Jane also nodded her assent and Kate smiled at her gratefully in response.

"Back to HQ then!" Kate went to leave the same way that she had entered but she was stopped by Maria.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I wouldn't mind staying with your assistant. I've not seen these things before and I'd like to take a closer look."

"That's fine, knock yourself out. Sarah?"

"I'm still coming, I've been hankering to see your office for ages."

"It's a bit different from your day but I think you'd approve." Sarah Jane and Maria had a moment of whispered words and shared a brief, but obviously loving, kiss goodbye. Kate flushed slightly at having witnessed the private moment and thoughts of her tentative relationship with Osgood flittered across her mind. She surreptitiously observed the younger woman chatting to some of The Dogs as she made notes and took readings on her device. Whatever had transpired between them the previous evening seemed to have unleashed a feeling that had been buried deep inside of her and Kate wasn't sure she was ready to understand it yet. Alien incursions she could deal with, affairs of the heart were another alien species altogether.

* * *

Maria went back to where Osgood was making her observations and waited for a break in her concentration to interrupt.

"Hello again, sorry to disturb you. I've not seen this before and it's obvious Sarah Jane and Kate have, so I wanted to see for myself what all the excitement's about. I hope you don't mind?" Osgood observed that Maria Jackson was much younger than herself, a clear ten years at least and probably more. But there was something in her eyes that seemed to suggest she'd seen things that most people her age wouldn't see in their lifetime. Must have done to have become the Head of Torchwood Three with so much responsibility at such a young age. It had been instilled in Osgood from very early on to be wary of all things Torchwood and given her very recent experience the sentiment still stood. However, Kate seemed to want to form some sort of a working relationship with the rogue organisation and she trusted Sarah Jane, who in turn seemed to trust Maria.

"No, not at all. It's not very interesting at the moment I'm afraid. Once we get back to the labs hopefully things will start happening."

"Can I help with anything?" There wasn't, but Osgood didn't want Maria to feel surplus to requirements so she got her to take some photographs for their files. Once they had gathered all the information Osgood could possibly think of that she would need, they got into one of the unmarked UNIT vehicles and travelled back to the Tower of London. Maria had explained that she'd never been to visit, not even for a school trip. Osgood was surprised but then remarked dryly that no school trip would have shown her what they were about to see! Back in the comfort of her laboratory, Osgood put on her lab coat and set to work running her device through UNIT's mainframe to match the readings against the vast catalogue of information it contained on every alien species that had ever visited Earth, or at least the ones they knew about.

"So… you and Sarah Jane?" Osgood was admittedly very curious, the age gap between them not least being one aspect. It wouldn't be something that Osgood normally commented on, far be it from her to get involved in anyone else's personal business, but she was intrigued nonetheless. Maria grinned, having already anticipated Osgood's main curiosity.

"I know what it looks like believe me, I've had enough grief about it from my mother." Osgood's interest was piqued at that, there was definitely a story there and she was curious to find out what it was. "But, you can't say that in the context of your job that it's the strangest thing you've seen?" The younger woman was right, if Osgood's father hadn't been a UNIT officer himself and she'd explained to him what a typical working day was for her, she was fairly certain that he'd think she was crazy. It was slightly easier now that the general public had some idea of UNIT's existence and what it did, but on the whole, the perception was that it was still a very science fiction kind of a world rather than real life science fact.

"I wasn't judging." Osgood would've been fairly hypocritical if she had been judgemental.

"I didn't say you were but it's a familiar reaction nonetheless. I must admit, when your boss turned up I felt a bit jealous." Osgood's eyebrows knitted in confusion, causing Maria to expand on her meaning. "Meeting the ex. I didn't know how awkward it was going to be or not." The look on Osgood's face told Maria a thousand things all at once. "Oops, sorry. I really should know when to shut up." Osgood felt like an idiot, how could she not have known? Of course she knew they had a previous association, both through The Brigadier and The Doctor but she hadn't even thought their friendship went any deeper than that. She'd been so perceptive about a lot of things Kate had kept close to her chest but this had somehow passed her by. Perhaps she'd been so blinded by her own feelings it had masked any obvious indications?

"It's not… I just didn't know. What Kate does in her private life isn't any business of mine." It wasn't the first time Maria had noticed Osgood mainly called her boss by her first name and that was telling in itself.

"But you're her friend, right? Not just her assistant?" Osgood shrugged.

"Sort of." She made a gesture that she wanted to get back to her work. That was far more comfortable than the direction their conversation was heading in.

* * *

"Welcome to my humble abode…" Kate ushered Sarah Jane through the door of her office and shut it behind them.

"Impressive. Remind me to show you Mister Smith sometime… on second thoughts, perhaps that's not such a good idea." Sarah Jane realised too late what information she had given away.

"Your Xylok computer?" Sarah Jane knew that she shouldn't have been surprised Kate already knew all about it but she was anyway.

"Don't tell me, your father?" He must have made some sort of reference to it when he'd helped Sarah to break into the Black Archive a couple of years ago.

"Strictly classified though, no one else but me knows about it. But really Sarah Jane, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Kate offered Sarah Jane a seat on the settee, they'd been friends for too long to sit formally at her desk. Sarah Jane sat as requested.

"I won't stop if that's what you're asking. I'm prepared to work with you but don't ever ask me to stop."

"I wouldn't dare, you forget I know just how stubborn you can be. Ever since the incident with The Fas I've been thinking about trying to strengthen the relationship between UNIT and Torchwood and yourself. I think we're stronger together but Torchwood has the leeway to do things we can't and we have the resources that you don't. With Maria now in charge I really think this could work. What do you think?"

"Are you asking me as a friend or associate?" Sarah Jane was suspicious of Kate using their friendship for her own means and that just wasn't fair.

"I haven't changed that much! You're right though, tactically it's a good move and I'd rather have Torchwood on side than continuously rubbing against them. It creates far too much paperwork if nothing else! I know you've had a turbulent relationship with us since the end of your formal association but we're a changed Taskforce, especially since I've been in charge." Sarah Jane nodded thoughtfully for a moment.

"Offer me a cup of tea and I'll think about it." Kate chuckled, at least she could count on some things not to change.

"Peppermint?"

"Please."

"So… you and Maria Jackson eh? I didn't see that one coming. Finally been tamed?" Kate winked at her former lover.

"Whatever you're thinking it's not…" Sarah Jane was immediately defensive, this conversation could go either way. Kate held her hands up in defence anyway.

"Hey, I'm not here to get into the whys and wherefores Sarah, what's past is past. Are you happy?" Kate was earnest in her question, she genuinely wanted to see her friend happy and settled.

"Yes, I rather think I am." Sarah Jane positively radiated with happiness and Kate grinned internally at that.

"Then that's all that matters. She's nice, admittedly a fair bit younger than I would have thought for you, but why change the habit of a lifetime?" She winked again, alluding to their past relationship and brought Sarah Jane her tea.

"What about you, anyone special?" Kate stopped dead before she had a chance to stop herself from reacting. It had been quite fun to tease Sarah about having fallen in love, it was quite a different matter when the shoe was on the other foot. "Ah, so there is someone? Who is she?" Kate's face turned serious and she attempted to dismiss it; damn Sarah's journalistic perceptiveness!

"When would I even have the time? This job isn't really conducive to having a personal life." It was a good try but not good enough in front of her old friend.

"Ah, so it's someone here. Your assistant, Osgood, wasn't it?" Kate really wasn't ready to deal with her thoughts in regards to her relationship, whatever it was, with the brunette. She changed the subject and brought them back to the task at hand.

"So, what do we already know about The Great Intelligence? How did they get back into this dimension and why are they here?"

* * *

An hour or so later and Kate had called a conference at the Tower of London with some of her departmental heads. She sat at the head of a large oval table with Osgood by her side in her usual seat. Maria was sat next to Osgood and Sarah Jane next to her. It was unprecedented to have an external organisation present at one of these meetings, especially considering that it was Torchwood, but Kate knew she had little choice on this occasion.

"Last night one of my staff was witness to a strange mist that engulfed Tower Hill tube station. She appears to have been the only person affected, however tests have revealed Artron energy signatures that match those we found at Waterloo station this morning. Earlier, a spherical orb was found on the concourse at Waterloo and just as we were about the analyse it, the same mysterious mist appeared and then disappeared underground. Scans have concluded that this is The Great Intelligence, a race of aliens with no real physical form." Kate then handed round printed documents detailing UNIT's previous encounters with The Great Intelligence, including her own with Sarah Jane back in 1995.

"This incident seems to follow one that Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart encountered in 1967 where they infiltrated the Underground network in the hopes of luring The Doctor there to drain his mind of his superior intelligence. We cannot assume the Doctor will fall for this scheme or be in a position to assist us in dealing with this threat. Therefore we're going to have to bring this incursion to a swift and effective end ourselves." There was much rustling of papers as each of the senior officers looked through the intelligence Kate had put before them.

"I take it you have a plan Ma'am?" One of the departmental heads spoke after a few moments.

"Osgood, what do we have so far on this morning's incident?" Kate looked up at her assistant and they locked eyes. It was brief and entirely professional to everyone else in the room but there was also a hint of something more personal underneath. Osgood had to look away at the intensity of her feelings and found a way to concentrate on what she was about to say.

"The orb, also known as a control sphere, is currently dormant although there's evidence to suggest that it may be dying. I don't know whether the Intelligence as a species is ill or dying too or just this particular sphere. After analysing the composition of the mist I can't see any evidence to prove there is something wrong with them. They feed off the minds of other species to gain a collective intelligence as they wander around the universe, almost akin to a hive mind. As Kate has suggested, the big attraction for them is the Doctor and they clearly understand his affinity with Earth. If they are dying, then gaining his knowledge could ensure their continued survival." Osgood came across confident and knowledgeable while she had given her speech to the table. In the early days of being Kate's assistant, she had been reluctant to speak up and had sat by Kate's side as quiet as a mouse, barely ever making eye contact with anyone. However, as the officials began to take everything she said seriously and frequently challenged her, Osgood no longer took that personally and eventually found that she quite enjoyed the lively discussion.

"So, if we assume we're alone in this we need to find a way of disposing with them without getting ourselves possessed, which is a real danger." Kate conveyed her thoughts to the room. One of the tactical response team raised his arm and began to speak.

"Ma'am, I suggest a full-scale defensive military attack then. They're known to be ruthless and uncompromising and there's too much stacked against us. I can have my troops ready to go within the hour." He seemed agitated; fired up and ready to go and that wasn't what Kate either wanted or needed.

"Hold off a moment there Corporal Rothwell. Osgood also said there's a possibility that they're ill or dying, I'm not happy about launching an attack on them if they're vulnerable."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, they wouldn't consider us if it was the other way round."

"Maybe not, but it doesn't stop us from being the bigger species and acting with integrity. I know I'm still relatively new to this but my remit was to change the way UNIT worked, to deal with threats in a more peaceful, scientific way. Whilst we can be prepared for action as a precautionary measure, I think there's a better way that will keep the casualties on both sides to a minimum."

"And that is?" The seasoned soldier was clearly sceptical and Osgood, without thinking, immediately leapt to Kate's defence.

"They're using the Underground network as their base, something about the tunnels must mean it's an ideal place for them to reside. We just need to work out what that is and make it uncomfortable for them, flush them out so to speak." It was a feasible idea, she just needed some time to work on it a bit more thoroughly.

"The trouble is, if they have nowhere to hide, they'll come after us instead and attempt to absorb us into their hive mind by possession." The Corporal was clearly unwilling to listen to reason.

"I'm not certain they will, if they're weak they probably don't have the capacity to assimilate individuals and will be storing their energy in the hope that they'll attract the Doctor's attention." Osgood stood her ground, determined and convinced that science would lead the way.

"This is all supposition. I still say we need to act defensively." Kate looked between Osgood and Corporal Rothwell, seemingly weighing up the argument in her mind before making a decision.

"Corporal, we'll take you along for back up but I want you to liaise with Captain Tate and only engage at their command. Osgood, get someone back in the lab on your theory; I think you're onto something there but time might not be on our side. I already have officers stationed at all the major underground stations and have shut down the network to the public. Green, I need you to get something out to all media outlets. Keep it simple and try not to panic everyone. Sarah, perhaps you'd be kind enough to impart your advice in that area?" Her old friend nodded in agreement and seemed pleased to be involved on a practical level. Kate still didn't entirely understand what they were up against and how it would be resolved, but at least she now had some semblance of a plan.

* * *

As Kate and her team had started to head back to Waterloo Station, she'd been alerted to the appearance of another control sphere at Charing Cross Station. So they had changed direction and travelled there instead. Corporal Rothwell had been following with his troops and had to pause when his boss did. When they arrived they found that the station had been enshrouded in a web-like substance. The tunnels and platforms were also full of dense mist which, along with the absence of the public, contributed to a very eerie atmosphere. The UNIT team had entered the station but remained in the ticket hall until they could ascertain exactly what was going on. Corporal Rothwell hovered in the background; eager and ready for action but was fortunately tempered by Captain Tate, albeit temporarily. Osgood, Sarah Jane and Maria stood by Kate's side, ready to assist in any way they could. Osgood was in constant contact with her team back at the Tower of London and exchanged regular updates about the Intelligence and their condition. This latest control sphere had been analysed and it didn't seem to be in the same dormant or sickly position as the first one. However, it hadn't moved either which Osgood knew was worrying in itself.

Kate had been in discussion with Captain Tate and one of the scientists back at the Tower of London when she'd heard a clatter of something having been dropped and turned to the side where Osgood was standing. Her assistant stood deathly still, her tablet computer with all her diagnostics and information had fallen to the ground and its screen cracked in the process. The young woman didn't seem like herself and Kate grew concerned so she reached out to touch her arm. Osgood didn't react at all, she'd completely zoned out of her surroundings, so Kate moved her hand down to grasp her hand instead. Suddenly Osgood spoke but it wasn't her voice that came out of her mouth.

"We are the Intelligence." The voice was automatic and devoid of emotion, 'machine-like' if Kate was pressed to describe it. "We need the Doctor, the Doctor will save us. The Doctor will save me." The final part of that sentence was quieter and weaker than what had gone before it and Kate instinctively knew it was whatever part of Osgood that still had control. Kate squeezed the younger woman's hand in reassurance and silently vowed to not let go until she knew she was safe. Kate decided to introduce herself, just as she would with any other alien species.

"Kate Stewart, I believe we've met before. I'm afraid I can't help you there, we have no way of contacting the Doctor." Kate had her suspicions that there were methods of communicating with the Time Lord out there, she just hadn't discovered them yet.

"You are UNIT, friend of the Doctor. He will help you and save us." Osgood's eyes were cold and unseeing and Kate felt like she was looking right through her. It was in such stark contrast to the warmth and passion she'd seen in them the night before and it sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. Please, let my assistant go and leave Earth. We can't help you." Kate still held firm to Osgood's hand and noticed that her skin was very cool to the touch. She just hoped she wasn't suffering physically under the Intelligence's possession.

"We need the Doctor. The Doctor will save us."

"Why her? Why choose Osgood?"

"She saw us, connected with us. She is more than she believes herself to be. She is useful to us." Kate had to stop herself from reacting at the thought of losing Osgood before they'd even worked out what was going on between them.

"How did you make it back to this dimension?" Sarah Jane asked from somewhere behind Kate. She remembered vividly what had happened when she had last encountered the Great Intelligence.

"The fissure lead us here. We followed it like a beacon guiding us home. The Doctor favours this planet, he will help us."

"I doubt it! Go back to where you came from, we know you're weak and dying. You can't harm us."

"You underestimate our power; Sarah Jane Smith, we remember you."

"They're bluffing." Sarah whispered confidently to Kate but the scientist wasn't so sure, not when it meant Osgood's life was on the line. Kate caught the hushed whispers of Captain Tate and Corporal Rothwell and instinctively knew that she was about to be undermined. Just then Osgood's mobile phone started to ring but she was obviously unable to answer it. It stopped and then a moment later Kate's rang.

"Kate Stewart."

"Ma'am, Osgood was right." McGillop's voice came through on the other end. "The tunnels are abundant with a compound which seems to re-energise the Intelligence, albeit slowly. We could pump through some gas which would then dissolve the compound; we're fairly sure it won't harm them but it would make it uncomfortable for them to stay hiding down there. Unfortunately it will kill humans so you would need to make sure that everyone is clear before we can go ahead."

"We have a slight problem; Osgood has been possessed by them." Kate spoke into the phone as she kept one eye on Osgood and the other on Sarah Jane. McGillop swallowed hard, he considered Osgood a friend and this was very bad news indeed.

"You'll have to take her with you and hope that they'll sever the connection when we start flushing them out. Either that or leave her behind." The words rang in Kate's ears and she knew in her heart of hearts she couldn't leave Osgood behind.

"I'll go for the first option and take my chances. Wait until I give the signal."

"Yes Ma'am." Kate turned to everyone in the room.

"Right, we're going to turn around and leave. McGillop thinks he's found a way to flush them out but we need to be as far away from here as possible."

"What are we going to do about Osgood?" Maria asked her counterpart, concerned already for the woman she'd spent a little time working with and getting to know. There was something about Osgood that she intrinsically liked and didn't want any harm to come to her.

"She's coming with us," at Colonel Rothwell's start of a protest Kate explained further. "There's no question of leaving her behind. I'll take personal responsibility if anything should happen, either to her or us." Kate started to shoo people out of the ticket hall and back out into the fresh air. She turned to her assistant and tried to coax her into moving but she didn't budge. Sarah Jane stayed behind and hovered nearby in case Kate needed some assistance.

"Try talking to her, the real her. If she can hear you she might be able to break through the control, at least enough to come with us." Sarah Jane advised her friend. Kate didn't think it could do any harm so she took hold of Osgood's hand once more and whispered gently in her ear.

"Osgood, love, it's Kate. Come on, we need you to break their control, just enough to get you out of here. I'll be holding your hand all the way. I don't want to lose you, not now. Please, if any part of you can hear me, let us get you to safety." Kate thought she saw a flicker of something in the younger woman's eye, just for a moment but whatever it was it hadn't lasted and it hadn't worked. Kate's hope was beginning to run out and just as she turned to Sarah Jane to tell her to go, she felt Osgood squeeze her hand back. Her heart soared and she immediately called Sarah Jane over to help her. Together they supported Osgood to walk away from the ticket hall and out into the entrance. It was about as far as they could manage and Kate gave the signal for McGillop's scientists to begin flushing out the Great Intelligence with the gas.

About ten minutes in, Osgood let out a cry and collapsed to the ground. The Intelligence had mercifully let her go; out of necessity or kindness, Kate never did work out which but she could hazard a guess anyway. Osgood was surprisingly no worse for wear after her ordeal, wiped out and sent home early but there was no lasting physical damage. McGillop's theory had come up worked a treat; the Great Intelligence had vanished as soon as the gas had filled the underground network. Unfortunately neither Kate nor the wider UNIT team had any idea of where they'd gone and were under no illusion that it was the last they'd seen of them.

* * *

 **Several hours later**

Kate had barely spoken to Osgood all day. Well, that wasn't true; besides dealing with the Great Intelligence and sending her straight home to rest afterwards, they'd not had a personal conversation about the previous evening. Kate hadn't known what to say or how to deal with it and she wasn't even sure that she wanted to. Some part of her had thought that perhaps by giving in to their long held sexual attraction it would help it to dissipate somewhat, get it out of their systems and they could move on. But really, she'd known that it went far deeper than that, that there was a genuine feeling between them and that they cared about each other on a fundamental level. And that made Kate feel distinctly uncomfortable around her assistant, her _friend_ , now. She'd allowed her emotions to get the better of her but now that she'd had time to think about it, she realised that the incident with The Great Intelligence had been a wake-up call of sorts. She'd been genuinely scared for the younger woman and hadn't known if she was going to lose her. In hindsight, she realised that couldn't have that sort of emotional burden as well as trying to make level-headed decisions in times of pressure.

She also understood that any relationship she had would always come second to her job and she felt that Osgood deserved better than that. The younger woman probably had an expectation of them living happily ever after in a serious, committed relationship and Kate knew that she wasn't very good at that sort of thing. She would have to instigate a conversation with Osgood and tell her exactly that, in no uncertain terms. She just hoped the younger woman would believe her, take the hint and forget all about it.

As Kate slipped into bed that night, the crumpled sheets and evidence from the previous night were made more than apparent. Kate wondered how she was going to convince Osgood to give up the notion of them being together when she couldn't even convince herself.

* * *

Admittedly it was a rash decision, but it did solve many of Kate's problems. She'd woken up with the idea and it had grown in the process of her getting ready to go to work. She'd been so caught up in the idea of it that she had gone beyond the stage of seeing how stupid it was. A quick phone call to Sarah's house in Ealing as soon as she got to her office and the deal was done. Kate summoned Osgood to her office immediately.

"You wanted to see me?" Osgood chirpily bounded into the room as was her usual wont. She clearly hadn't been deterred by her ordeal the previous day.

"Yes, take a seat." The formality in Kate's tone immediately had the younger woman on edge and Osgood's heart rate sped up slightly. She had the horrible feeling that she was about to be told some bad news. She patted the pocket of her lab coat to reassure herself that she had her inhaler, just in case.

"As you know, I've recently been wanting to develop a closer working relationship with Torchwood." Osgood nodded her head. "After yesterday's events, I noticed how well you and Maria Jackson seemed to work together. Therefore, I'm seconding you to Torchwood for six months and I want you to develop your working relationship with Maria and the rest of the team." Osgood's heart did a little flip and a feeling of dread settled over her.

"In Cardiff?" Osgood asked nervously.

"Yes, in Cardiff." Kate confirmed her worst fears and Osgood's face fell as her heart sank. It was telling that Kate couldn't meet her eyes.

"But…?" Kate looked at her directly then and implored her to understand.

"You're the best we have. You already have a rapport with Maria and it makes sense to build on it. You are not there to spy on them. I've already spoken to Maria and she approves of the idea. You are to work in collaboration, share ideas, pool resources - within reason of course."

"When do you want me to go?" Kate could hear the deflated tone in Osgood's voice and she did feel guilty then.

"Today. Maria is driving back to Cardiff this afternoon. I thought it would be an ideal opportunity for you to go back with her."

"But I'm not prepared, what about Tommy?"

"You can take him with you or I can find someone to look after him for you. You can go home and grab some clothes, personal items and I can either send on more things or you can come back for them when you get a chance. This is too good an opportunity to miss."

"For who?" It was out of Osgood's mouth before she could stop herself. "What about us, the other night?" Kate swallowed hard; it was just what she'd been hoping to avoid discussing.

"I think it would be best if we left it at that. I still value our friendship but anything else…" Kate couldn't finish her sentence and shook her head. Inside it was tearing her to bits; she knew that she was being unreasonable, cold and unfeeling. But it was the only way she knew how to deal with her own emotions and she couldn't afford to fall for someone.

Osgood was disappointed, not just disappointed that their relationship had been cut short before it had even begun, but also disappointed that Kate wasn't brave and honest enough to tell her what she was thinking or feeling. She knew that Kate was avoiding the issue, avoiding becoming emotionally attached. However, she also knew that trying to get her to confront her feelings at this point in time was going to be useless. Osgood would accept her fate for the time being but it didn't mean that she was going to forget about it altogether.


	9. The Power of Three: Redux

**July 2012**

Maria recognised the same sense of despair and despondency in her new colleague that she had seen in herself only a couple of years before. Osgood hadn't said anything to her directly, but it was becoming quite apparent that as competent and as interested as she was in forming a good working relationship with her and Torchwood, as an affiliate organisation, she really didn't want to be there. Tommy, on the other hand, had made himself quite at home in the HUB and had a nook in virtually every corner of the place. Mickey seemed to have taken an interest in him and the feline could often be found curled up around his feet under his desk. Osgood wasn't too bothered, as long as she got to take him back to her flat at night, she was glad that he was comfortable and settled in their temporary new home.

Kate had been true to her word and had some of her things sent across from her flat back in London. Despite how hurt she felt, Osgood had tried to revert back to the friendship they had shared, before they'd apparently messed things up by sleeping with each other. She had tried to telephone Kate a couple of times; just to chat and catch up, but Kate was either avoiding her calls or was too busy with something else. Sadly, Osgood was well aware of which option it was most likely to be. Eventually she gave up and left it up to Kate and made do with the perfunctory texts and emails she only seemed to be worthy of these days. It wasn't so bad, Maria had encouraged her to join in with team activities like pizza night and Osgood had been roped into participating in the coffee run; although she'd threatened to have her percolator shipped across from London and teach the team exactly how a decent cup of coffee should be made. A ghostly silence had met her suggestion and she wondered just what on earth she'd said to provoke that response. She thought to remind herself to ask Maria about it one day.

Osgood had been lucky that she'd had just over three weeks to get herself sorted before anything alien had demanded their time. The cubes had appeared overnight, just like all over the rest of the world. Osgood had been in touch with the team back at the Tower of London and they'd told her that they hadn't any decent leads about whatever the seemingly innocuous black cubes were. She and the Torchwood team worked on it from their end, but the cubes were pretty much impenetrable from their scans and experiments. Mickey had already gathered several and used them to build a fortress on his desk. Maria had rolled her eyes in response to his juvenile behaviour. She, Martha and Osgood had set to work on their own methods of testing. Osgood wondered if they did fit together somehow but from what she could tell they were just cubes, all uniform in size, shape and colour. She had devised a series of tests with a range of chemical compounds but so far nothing had reacted; no oxidisation, corrosion or melting whatsoever. A whole day went past and the Torchwood team had more questions than they did answers. It was a small comfort to find that UNIT were in a similar position and by some miraculous alignment of the stars and planets, Kate finally answered one of her calls.

"Hi," the intrepid UNIT leader began and Osgood's ears immediately pricked up at the weariness in Kate's voice.

"Hello, tough day?" She'd meant it to be sarcastic but it had come out sympathetic instead.

"Frustrating, as I'm sure you're aware." Kate's voice took on a richer tone when she was tired and Osgood recognised it straight away. She felt momentarily guilty for finding it incredibly attractive when Kate was probably at the end of her tether. She wished she was back in London to unobtrusively support her friend.

"Yes, sorry. We've not had much luck either, complete mystery." Osgood rather she had something better to report to her boss but she knew that she had to be honest.

"That's not much good to me." Kate said hastily, without any real thought behind the words or tone she used. The moment it left her mouth she instantly regretted how it must have sounded. "Sorry, I know you're trying." Osgood swallowed nervously; the conversation was stilted, as though it was between two strangers who barely knew each other. She was concerned and felt she ought to at least try to appeal to the part of Kate that still valued their friendship; at least deep down, if not overtly.

"How are you bearing up? Generally?" Kate stopped then, what could she say? That she was fairly miserable without Osgood's corny science jokes each morning, or just the little things she did to show that she cared about her on a personal level? That she instantly regretted sending her away to Cardiff, but she knew that this was best for both of them in the long run?

"Fine." So she'd gone for an outright lie instead and she was fairly certain that Osgood knew that too. "How about you?" Not that Kate wanted to know the real truth, she was simply responding in kind.

"I'm good. Tommy's settled in and I've been made very welcome." It hadn't really meant to be a dig at Kate but Osgood didn't regret how it had sounded.

"That's good to know." Kate took a breath and Osgood could hear her voice change into business mode. She could almost see her sitting up a little straighter in her chair, at the old fashioned desk in her modern office. Osgood wondered how spacious and lonely that room must feel right at this very moment? As though the distance between London and Cardiff was insurmountable and far greater than the actual number of miles. "If you do manage to have any success with the cubes please let me know as soon as you can." Ah, so it was to be a short and sweet phone call then? At least Osgood had had the chance to listen to Kate's voice for the first time in a while. There was an 'I miss you' on the tip of her tongue but she thought better of saying it out loud.

"Will do. Right, okay… bye then."

"Bye." Kate put the phone down without any long drawn out goodbye and Osgood had to draw a deep breath to quell the tears that had suddenly sprung up out of nowhere. Weren't they adult enough to get past one night of passion for the sake of their friendship? Or even just their working relationship at the very worst? Osgood thought she was and she had thought it of Kate too; which was why she held on to the small glimmer of hope that the distance between them was an instinctive self-preservation reaction, self-imposed by Kate, and that underneath it all she didn't actually mean it.

Over the course of their friendship, they had spoken a little about relationships, both familial and romantic alike, and even though Kate hadn't given much away on the subject, Osgood had picked up on some of the things she hadn't said instead. She knew that her parents' history and early divorce weighed heavily on her mind. as well as her father's devotion to his career at UNIT. Despite her feisty outward persona, Osgood had also seen glimpses of Kate's vulnerability and lack of confidence in herself too. Together, albeit for a short while, they had made a good team and complimented each other's strengths and weaknesses. Osgood vowed to hold firm and wouldn't give up on Kate entirely, she owed her that much at least.

* * *

 **September 2012**

Six weeks after the mysterious cubes had appeared, neither Torchwood nor UNIT were any the wiser about their origins and whether they were as innocuous as they seemed to be. Kate was still extremely cautious and she hadn't been able to persuade any foreign government to heed her suggestion to gather them all up and store them somewhere secure. A deserted island would be the only reasonable option to dump billions of the blighters on, but it didn't look like anyone was willing to loan her one. The general public were beginning to accept them at face value and had rapidly incorporated them into their daily lives. Kate still had dozens securely locked away underneath the Tower of London and under constant observation. She didn't care if her officers were beginning to think that it was overkill, she had a hunch that all was not as they appeared to be, The Doctor had pretty much backed her up and that was all the evidence she needed in her book. He'd apparently buggered off somewhere, without so much as a by your leave, and probably out of boredom. Her father had warned her very early on that he was famed for his very short attention span!

In the midst of all this, Sarah Jane had invited herself round to Kate's house one evening for dinner. Well, they had been discussing dinner in relation to something else and Sarah Jane had made it clear that her cooking skills hadn't improved in the slightest, in all the time they'd known each other. Kate had given her a hearty laugh, her first real chuckle in weeks, and then offered to cook for her on the condition that Sarah supplied the alcohol. Kate felt like she deserved a well-earned evening off, so didn't feel guilty about slipping away from UNIT HQ along with the normal commuter rush that particular evening.

They had demolished the hearty meal with gusto and were heading very speedily to the end of the first bottle of wine. So far the topic of conversation had touched on general pleasantries and then they had started up a discussion about the mysterious cubes. Kate had alluded to the London rift being the possible cause and point of entry for them. She then recalled her conversation with the Doctor just as she had been leaving the Pond's house, after having tracked him down via the Artron energy signature from his TARDIS.

* * *

"Kate, just one thing?" The Time Lord addressed the Head of Scientific Research with a curious tone and she half-turned back to face him.

"Yes Doctor?"

"There's a rift in time and space running through London. I'm sure that wasn't there the last time I visited this time period." In fact, he was certain of it, yet another one of those 'timey wimey' things even he couldn't explain.

"No it probably wasn't. A gift from Torchwood apparently." Kate still managed to pull off her usual dry sense of humour in her tone, even though the Doctor could tell by her body language that she wasn't exactly enamoured with the so called 'gift.'

"Has it given you any gip?"

"Oh, you know, the odd Fas invasion masquerading as Cybermen and Daleks, The Great Intelligence trying to bring themselves through to this dimension again and enough mysterious black cubes to go around the world; just the run of the mill sort of stuff UNIT is used to dealing with these days." Again, Kate managed to inject just enough humour to keep the conversation light.

"Oh, right… good. As long as you can handle it?" The Doctor was his usual flippant and unhelpful self.

"Well, I'd rather it wasn't there so unless you have any thoughts?" Kate had hoped that when she realised the Doctor was in town he would have plenty of ideas about how to destroy it for her.

"I'm afraid not, just like the one in Cardiff, it's a fixed point in time. Although…" The Doctor waved his sonic screwdriver in the air and took some readings. Kate raised her eyebrows in anticipation of an answer. "Nope, nothing out of the ordinary." Well, Kate would debate that a time/space rift running through the city was out of the ordinary in the first instance, but this _was_ The Doctor she was talking to.

* * *

Once Kate had finished with her story, Sarah Jane couldn't say that she was surprised the Doctor didn't have any answers for her. He was brilliant at the things he did know but when it came to the things he didn't, he kept his cards very close to his chest and would rarely, if ever, admit defeat. It was then that Sarah Jane decided to change the topic of conversation.

"Maria tells me that your Osgood is doing well. She seems to made herself quite at home in the Torchwood HUB." Maria had told Sarah Jane a lot of things, particularly things that went left unsaid around the HUB, things that Maria had picked up on here and there with the benefit of her past experience and a whole lot of empathy.

"Has she? That's good to hear." Kate tried to feign indifference but she knew it was a losing battle against her old friend, the lump in her throat from the clenching pain in her heart had been obvious, even to her own ears.

"Kate…" Sarah Jane hoped to prompt Kate into telling her before she was going to have to drag it out of her.

"What?" Kate sounded weary, like she was tired of having this conversation already and yet they hadn't even begun. It was probably because it had gone round in her head dozens of times and she came up with the same conclusion each and every single time.

"Are you going to tell me what's really going on? I haven't seen you this… _closed off,_ for a long time." Kate eyed her friend sardonically over the rim of her wine glass.

"Well, that's better than some of thing things I've been accused of being over the last few years." Of course there were still people in UNIT who had been around in her early days and knew Kate before she'd started to work her way up the ranks, but there were plenty who hadn't seen that, who didn't care to see the person with real feelings, worries and insecurities. As far as they were concerned she gave the orders and was responsible for all those who were injured or lost in the line of duty. She might be a civilian but she was ultimately in charge and with that power came a certain amount of withdrawal and distance from her subordinates.

"Come on, this isn't like you, not really." Sarah Jane was still in a coaxing mood and she reckoned that she had more patience than Kate to keep pushing for as long as she had to.

"You've probably already got an idea otherwise you wouldn't be asking me." Kate was by no means stupid and knew when she was cornered, but she at least had to give a half-hearted protest before she caved in completely.

"Yes, but I'd rather hear it from you." They stared at each other for a few moments and allowed the weight of the moment to settle over them. Kate harrumphed and sighed deeply before throwing her hands up in the air for good measure. It certainly added to the drama in any case.

"What do you want me to say? That I slept with my assistant, my _friend_ , and then I sent her away for several months to avoid talking to her about it?" Well, Sarah Jane hadn't anticipated it being quite that easy, she'd expected to have to hold out for at least another glass of wine.

"And why are you avoiding talking to her about it? I seem to remember you were very upfront about what you wanted from your conquests back in the day." Sarah Jane paused for a moment. "Unless… she's not a conquest and you actually feel something for her? That's it, isn't it?" Kate buried her head in her hands for long moments as she tried to get her thoughts into some sort of order.

"We've known each other for years, ever since my first day at UNIT. She was very kind right from the start and we just sort of clicked. I didn't find out until Dad's funeral that she'd known who I was, who I really was, from pretty much the beginning too. Her father served with mine and were good friends by all accounts. It showed me just how much I could trust her, how much she actually cared to keep the secret, even from me." Whatever had happened between them, Kate would never forget that kindness and respect.

"She sounds like an incredibly loyal friend."

"She is, hence why I offered her the job as my assistant and the fact that we had worked so well with each other before. Anyway, there was more to it than that, always had been really. That simmer of something else, another possibility, bubbling away under the surface but never addressed. It grew the closer we worked with each other over the last couple of years. And then one night, the night before The Great Intelligence, one thing lead to another and…"

"You gave in to those desires?" Sarah Jane finished for her.

"Yes."

"And?" The older woman was clearly angling for more of a story than what Kate was prepared to divulge.

"And what?"

"What was it like?"

"Hey, I'm not asking you about your sex life with Maria!"

"No, but we're not miserable by being separated from each other for no good reason." And besides, Sarah Jane and Maria had already been through a turbulent time to have reached the point at which they were now.

"There _is_ a good reason and I'm _not_ miserable!" Kate's protest sounded like it had come from a stroppy teenager rather than a fully grown woman.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself? Look Kate, I'm your friend and I've known you a long time so just listen to me for a moment." Kate nodded reluctantly but remained focused on Sarah Jane to show that she was prepared to listen. "It took me far too long to wake up to my own self-imposed isolation. More than the seventeen years since you and I got involved. Remember the person I was back then? Closed off, emotionally dense, unable to commit?" Kate nodded in remembrance. "That's you now. You're pushing Osgood away just like I did with you because you're scared and you're trying to protect yourself. Don't leave it seventeen years Kate. I was lucky; I found Maria and got my second chance. But with our lifestyle who knows how long for? So we're making the most of it."

"I'm rubbish at relationships Sarah Jane, I'll find some way to mess it all up, let her down…"

"You mean like your father did to you and your mother?"

"Dad and I are essentially two sides of the same coin. If he could do that to his family then I could too."

"Oh Kate! You share a lot of his traits but you are your own person, haven't you always striven to make other people understand that difference? As for letting Osgood down, I rather think you already have. Surely she deserves more than this? To have been exiled in Cardiff just because you can't handle a grown up conversation about what happened between you?"

"I can't deal with this right now Sarah, there's just too much going on."

"And there always will be. I can only advise based on what I've seen and I think you're missing out."

* * *

Unbeknownst to Kate, Maria had invited Osgood round to her place at the same time and had initiated a very similar conversation. They sat on the living room floor with a pile of CDs between them and were systematically working their way through the early 90's in music. A bottle of wine also sat between them and Tommy was curled into Osgood's lap dozing.

"…so it wasn't really that big of a deal, transitioning between being friends and becoming lovers." Maria had explained to Osgood exactly what had happened between her and Sarah Jane over the last few years. It was her way of trying to get her new colleague and burgeoning friend to open up.

"Surely you were both conscious of the age gap?"

"Of course, it was one of the reasons Sarah Jane was so reluctant in the first place. She's been accused of all sorts of things in the past, mainly by my mother, and she just knew that it would be adding fuel to the fire. But it's what we both wanted and we're happy, how is that wrong?" Osgood smiled and took a sip of her wine. If only Kate could see it that way. "So, what about you? Any boyfriends? Girlfriends?" Osgood shook her head and hoped that Maria would leave it at that. Unfortunately she had no such luck that evening and had yet to work out this had all be a ruse between Maria and Sarah Jane. "Okay, so I'm going to tell you what I think. I think that you're in love with your boss, that you've been in love with her a while and she doesn't know it. She just thinks of you as a friend." Osgood looked down at the floor in an effort to hide her feelings from her new friend, who was also practically her boss. She shook her head in response.

"Sort of, but not quite." Maria looked at her questioningly, expecting her to elaborate. "I have been in love with her for years and she didn't… doesn't know. We slept together a few weeks ago, just before all that stuff with The Great Intelligence and then she sent me away, here, to work with you. She told me to forget it happened and we've not spoken about it since. In fact, we've not really spoken at all." Maria listened intently, sad for her new friend but seeing the bigger picture at the same time. She'd had a few conversations with Sarah Jane and they'd already come to their own conclusions on the matter.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"There's nothing I can do, I'll just have to get over it, over her, eventually." Those were the exact same words Maria had said to Martha when they'd had a similar conversation a couple of years ago.

"From what I've seen of the two of you and how you interacted with each other, I don't think you're the only one who feels something. I think she does feel the same but she's scared. Of what I don't know, you know her better than me, but she wouldn't have made so much of an effort to cast you aside if she wasn't scared of giving in to her feelings. I don't know but if she really didn't feel anything for you then I'd have thought she would have just told you outright." Osgood thought on Maria's words for a moment.

"There's a part of me that thinks you're right, that suspects that might be the case. But I don't know what I can do about it. I don't want to force her into anything she doesn't want to do willingly and I don't want her to think that it's too much of an effort, a sacrifice, if she did give into her feelings. I want her to come to me when she's ready and open to trying to make things work. Otherwise I think I'd rather just be her friend."

"And what if she's never ready?"

"Then she isn't. Maybe someone else will come along or maybe they won't. I won't ever stop being her friend. She really needs all the friends she's got."

* * *

 **October/November 2012**

Osgood had a weekend and few days off to travel back to London and visit her family, see friends and generally relax. She had left Tommy in the care of Mickey at the HUB and she was actually quite confident about leaving him. She had planned to pop into the Tower of London and say hello to her friends, particularly Malcolm and McGillop.

When she arrived Osgood found a package on her desk. It was wrapped in pink tissue paper and had a loose bow tied around it to hold it all together. There was no note or label attached and for a while she simply stared at it and wondered if it was even left for her. She'd been away for a few weeks and was technically seconded for six months, so perhaps someone else had been using her desk and it was intended for them? She thought no more of it, went to her locker and took out her coffee grounds and percolator. She had no intention of staying all day, she was on leave after all, but she wasn't prepared to go without a decent cup of coffee while she was there! She'd pack away the equipment afterwards and take it back to the HUB with her. She'd been threatening to do so for a while anyway. Upon questioning, Maria had explained what had happened to Ianto Jones during the incident with the 456 and how he'd been well known for his coffee making skills. No wonder Osgood's humorous remarks about decent cups of coffee had fallen flat! However, Maria had encouraged her to continue, as her team had to get over the young man's demise eventually. McGillop walked in and roused Osgood from her thoughts, he smiled kindly when he saw her.

"Hello stranger! How are you doing?" He asked quite jovially and Osgood was surprised that she had actually been missed.

"Fine, good actually. You?" McGillop was a family man, a wife and two teenage boys. He seemed to get the balance between work and his home life just right and many wondered how he managed it. It helped that he'd been working for UNIT since just before its true nature had been exposed to the public in 2009, so his wife had been pretty much in the picture from the beginning.

"Can't complain. Thought you had a few days here for a break? Catch up with family, that sort of thing?" What mad person came into work on their weekend off he thought, but then remembered that it was Osgood and she'd always been overly conscientious, ever since he'd known her.

"Oh yes I am, but I wanted to collect a few things and say hello to a few people while I'm here."

"Kate?"

"Probably not." Osgood said sadly.

"Did you have a falling out? Is that why you left so quickly?" He wouldn't tell Osgood but there had been plenty of gossip about her mysterious and sudden secondment to Torchwood.

"Kind of. Not really. I can't say."

"Did she find out you had feelings for her?" Osgood looked around them quickly, hoping that his remark hadn't been overheard by anyone.

"Keep your voice down! How do _you_ know anything about it?" McGillop chuckled.

"Oh come on Osgood, it's obvious! Sorry to disappoint you but you're not exactly very good at hiding it." Other people must have noticed too because it was one of the rumours that had been flying about since she'd left.

"Shit! Have I really been that transparent?" McGillop nodded with a grin. Osgood held her head in her hands. Kate and everyone else must really be laughing at her behind her back. "No wonder she hates me!"

"I doubt that she hates you. Are you coming back?"

"I don't know, I'm supposed to, I think. It's not been too bad to be honest." Once she'd got over her initial shock and settled in, Osgood found she quite enjoyed working somewhere different and with a whole new team of colleagues. Cardiff was a beautiful place too and she'd taken some time to explore the city and South Wales when she'd had some free time.

"Well, I'd be sad to lose you if it does become a permanent thing."

"Thanks, that means something." There was a brief pause, as though McGillop was wondering whether to say something or not. In the end, he decided just to say it anyway.

"Go and see Kate. Whatever happened I'm sure she'd like to see you. She's not been quite her usual cheery self recently."

"It's probably the frustration over not knowing anything about the cubes."

"Maybe." McGillop didn't sound too sure but left his colleague to decide for herself. Once she was alone, Osgood logged into her computer and looked at a few emails and information on the cubes to see if there was anything useful she could do while she was there. By the time she'd finished her coffee she was ready to leave. She was in two minds whether to pop along to Kate's office or not, they'd not seen each other since Kate had told her about the secondment and had barely spoken to each other since. Osgood found herself outside Kate's office a few minutes later anyway. The door was open ajar; always a sign that guests were welcome and she couldn't hear anyone talking so she knocked gently and poked her head through.

"Err, hello. I was visiting and just thought I'd pop in to say hi." Kate had momentarily looked really pleased to see her and then Osgood could see those defensive barriers going up once again.

"Oh, right. How are you?" Kate was clearly rattled by seeing the younger woman face to face for the first time in a while.

"Fine, good. You?"

"Okay. Still no further into working out what those cubes are. People are beginning to lose interest and take it for granted that they're perfectly innocuous. I'm not so sure." Kate sounded as frustrated as she felt and Osgood easily picked up on it.

"Well, stick with your instinct then. Your hunches are usually right." Kate looked gratefully at Osgood then and felt guilty for having treated her so badly in recent weeks.

"Oh, did you find the package on your desk?" She asked the younger woman.

"Yes, but I didn't know if it was for me or not. Thought perhaps someone might be sitting there while I'm away?"

"No, no. That's still your desk, for as long as you want it and the gift was intended for you."

"Is it from you?"

"No, not really. You'll see." It seemed so out of context from the first half of their conversation and Osgood wondered if she was finally getting somewhere with Kate.

"Okay, thanks. Kate… I will be coming back here eventually won't I?" It was a question that Osgood had been afraid to ask but then Kate had said about her desk still being there for her. The guilt was evident on Kate's face and she felt even more awful about this whole mess between them.

"Yes, yes of course! I… I'm sorry. I'm really sorry but I can't…" Osgood put a hand up to stop her. Obviously discussing their relationship, friendship or otherwise, was still difficult for Kate. But it was enough for Osgood that she wanted her back at the Tower, eventually.

"It's fine. Like you said, let's just forget it happened." It pained Osgood to say it but it was better than letting things remain as they were. "I'd better be going, Mum's cooking a big roast dinner for us all while I'm here. I travel back tomorrow afternoon." Osgood wasn't sure she could stand being in the same room as Kate with it still being so obviously awkward between them. She almost felt like crying the atmosphere was so strained.

"Enjoy what's left of your break."

"Yeah. Look after yourself Kate."

"You too." Osgood went back to her desk, picked up the package and began to carefully unwrap it. She beamed when she saw what it was; a long multi-coloured scarf that she had seen the Doctor wear in some of the photographs UNIT had of him. Osgood wondered if it was from the man himself or had Kate somehow managed to acquire it? She'd have to remember to ask another time. She wrapped it around her neck several times and revelled in the warmth of it. She didn't want to analyse just what it might mean if Kate had asked the Doctor for it on her behalf.

When the cubes had initially arrived from seemingly nowhere, McGillop and Malcolm had kept Osgood abreast of developments. Malcolm in particular had been overjoyed to report that the Doctor had been on the scene and Kate had had 'first contact' with the infamous Time Lord. Osgood had been beyond upset at the news, knowing full well that had she not been exiled in Cardiff, she would have been by Kate's side and had the opportunity to meet her hero in person. Osgood had wondered at the time if Kate realised just what she had made her miss out on, or if she'd even crossed her mind? The gift of the Doctor's scarf seemed to indicate that perhaps Kate had been conscious of Osgood's absence and had wanted to make it up to her, at least in some small way. Osgood knew that she would treasure the scarf forever and for more than one reason.


	10. The Ultimate Sacrifice

**August 2013**

Kate turned the huge iron wheel with her whole self and drew upon strength that someone of her slight frame shouldn't have been capable of. The desperate need to save her city and the people in it spurred her on. How did UNIT exist in the 21st Century and still had crucial pieces of machinery that were only manually operated? McGillop appeared in front of her, concern etched on his features and a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Come on Ma'am, you shouldn't be doing this." He wanted to reach out to her, pull her back and physically stop her from continuing with something which he thought was, frankly, insane.

"It's the only way. Get everyone to safety McGillop, that's an order." Kate went back to the task at hand, as though McGillop wasn't even standing there.

"What about you? We're not leaving you here, you'll be killed." Kate had ordered everyone on the periphery of The Thames to get as far away from the river as they could and for Central London itself to be evacuated. A great number of people had already left but there were always going to be those that refused or who were unable to leave.

"Well that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make, it's my job." She was as stubborn as her father and hadn't mellowed at all over the years.

"Not to that extent! Osgood's working on diffusing the rift as we speak, she thinks it could work." At the mention of Osgood, Kate felt momentarily guilty. If this was to be the last thing she ever did, she'd never get the chance to tell the younger woman all the things she should have done.

"I need guarantees; I can't risk so many lives on a slim chance." It wasn't that she doubted Osgood's abilities but it had been only short amount of time between realising that both the rift in London and the one in Cardiff were pulling against each other, causing localised but dramatic weather systems. London had been battered by hurricanes and wild storms, testing even the Thames Barrier to its limits. Flood defences aside from the barrier had been breached and residential areas close to the banks of the Thames flooded out within days of the first storms hitting. It had shown no signs of abating and even the most sophisticated of meteorological equipment couldn't make sense of what had been causing the chaos. UNIT knew better, had declared a state of emergency and ordered the mass evacuation of London with the Queen and Prime Minister's authority. If even the most experienced meteorologists couldn't understand what was going on, then how could Osgood hope to come up with a solution? "Tell Osgood… tell her…" Kate shook her head, unable to say anything further.

"Ma'am… don't you think you ought to tell her yourself? And shouldn't you have done so a long time ago?" McGillop certainly had nothing to lose by speaking to his boss frankly in the current circumstances. Kate looked at him sharply then. She supposed it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise to discover that someone knew about them; whether he had been told or had worked it out for himself it didn't really matter, especially not now.

"Just tell her that I'm sorry." It had come out in an almost whisper, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily in her heart. "Now go, let me finish this alone and get yourself to safety." McGillop gave her a curt nod, there was obviously no convincing her otherwise and he'd be much more useful helping Osgood in her endeavour. He turned away from his boss, unable to actually say goodbye and leave it there. Kate pulled on the wheel once again, ever so gradually bringing up long-forgotten steel walls that had been buried deep into the banks of the Thames. The walls were several miles in length, solid and thick and tall. Enough to virtually seal the river off from the land and allow any flood water to seep back out into the sea. It was a massive undertaking, a heavy and lengthy process which would preserve the city and the people still within it. The trouble was that The Tower was the weak spot, the last part of the wall to get fixed into place so Kate might be successful but not before getting caught up in the tide herself. The chances of her surviving were slim to none.

Osgood kept working on her theory; numbers randomly jumped in front of her eyes and she dismissed some and took an interest in others, adapted her equipment to take into account different factors and new information. It was taking shape, becoming more sophisticated with every passing moment. She'd tracked both the Cardiff and London rifts for a while now and had gathered enough information on them to try to counteract the pull. She had to stop herself from getting too emotionally caught up in the moment and keep working as diligently as she could. She knew what Kate was trying to do and was torn between being angry at her and admiring her bravery. All she could do now was hope that her plan worked and that in turn she'd be able save Kate. It had to, there was still so much left unsaid between them. Time was running out fast, the tides of the Thames rose ever higher with each passing second and although those humongous steel barriers were pushing their way up from the river bed, and forcing the current back down into the sea, it wasn't happening quick enough. Storms were still raging above them and the sky crackled and fizzed with the electric atmosphere.

* * *

Osgood had returned to London and resumed working for UNIT at the Tower of London in January. She and Kate had made their peace in a roundabout way but there was something missing from their interactions; warmth and a genuine feeling of friendship that had been obvious to anyone that knew them in the past. They still worked well together and achieved great results, but they didn't bounce off each other with that same sort of energy and humour that they had had before. Osgood had brought dozens of ideas and experiments back with her from Cardiff and it suited Kate to allow her to work on them as much as she liked. They largely stayed out of each other's way unless absolutely necessary.

Sarah Jane, Maria and McGillop had all tried to intervene but with no success. Kate was stubborn; she had completely drawn up her barriers and was beyond the ability to listen to reason. Osgood had been willing to listen to any advice and talked openly enough about how she felt about the situation, but she didn't have the confidence or the heart to try and win Kate round. She just thought she'd end up getting more hurt than she already was and whatever tenuous relationship they had was better than none at all. All in all, the atmosphere at UNIT, particularly around the labs, wasn't the best it had been in quite some time.

* * *

Everything seemed to go in slow motion; Osgood's device was as ready as it was going to be so she pointed it into the rift, pressed the button and released a steady, powerful beam of energy right into its centre. The loudest thunderclap any human being had ever witnessed crashed and reverberated across the city sky, right out into the far reaches of the surrounding suburbs. Lightening struck from within the rift and the entire thing began to close in on itself.

The last of the steel barriers were just slotting into place as the rift grew more unstable. The electrical storm raged on, the rift was angry and spat out purple-blue streaks of energy for several minutes until it stopped. All of a sudden; one minute the rift was there punishing the citizens of London for goodness knows what and then the next it had vanished. Bright, clear blue skies dominated the skyline, the like of which hadn't been seen since the rift's arrival a couple of years before. It was like someone had switched on a halogen light bulb in a pitch black room.

The lines of communication crackled into life now that there was no interference. Everyone was calling for Greyhound One, needing some sort of leadership after the event. Osgood had been temporarily placed in charge during Kate's absence and she had been unable to contact her, either by personal or UNIT mobile. The radio had been no good in the deepest caverns of The Tower anyway. Someone hailed Greyhound One over the radio once again and McGillop nudged Osgood.

"Answer it, take control of the situation. Kate put you in charge; she would have wanted you to do this." Osgood looked at him sharply.

"You're talking about her as if she's dead!" McGillop's eyes bored into hers.

"You're going to have to face facts that she might be. The chances of her surviving that last battering before the barriers were fully installed are massively against her." Osgood swallowed down her own fears, she'd have to deal with her emotions later. Right now London needed a leader and if Kate was dead, then she would honour her by carrying out her legacy.

"This is Greyhound Two to all units; Greyhound One MIA, presumed down. Search for survivors and civilians near the perimeters, there are likely to be many casualties. Brief the hospitals and set up a triage for the walking wounded and space for emergencies." Osgood looked to McGillop who nodded his approval of what she was doing. "Greyhound Two to Martha Jones."

"Martha here."

"Can you locate Ka… Greyhound One? Last known location in the dungeons underneath The Tower. Probably injured and maybe critical. If possible can you have emergency assistance with you as back up?" Martha must have understood how painful that had been for Osgood to issue those orders efficiently and without emotion. She felt honoured to have been thought highly enough of to be the one Osgood trusted to find the Head of Unit and treat her if found injured.

* * *

Martha had heeded Osgood's advice and had taken four UNIT soldiers along with her as well as a paramedic. The trouble was, she couldn't take too many emergency crew with her just for one person, despite that person being incredibly important. There were so many inhabitants of London that were in need of medical assistance, it would have been unfair to leave them without. She just hoped it was enough. The UNIT soldiers knew the dungeons well, had been trained to find their way through seemingly impossible spaces. They'd been briefed on what Kate had been doing and where the wheel to draw up the barriers was located; it was just a question of getting there.

They waded in knee-deep water and it was almost pitch black, the dungeons having suffered power damage during the storms. No wonder Kate was out of contact range down here, mobile signals were impossible. It was such a deep and forgotten part of the Tower, Martha was surprised about just how forgotten it was. It took the best part of forty minutes to find their way through the tunnels and to Kate's location.

Martha's medical training kicked in the moment she saw the intrepid UNIT leader laying on her side on the stone floor, half in the storm water. She crouched over her prone form and checked for a pulse; weak but steady. She was breathing, her chest moved up and down and Martha could feel the breath on her cheek as she bent forward to listen. She tried to rouse Kate by shaking her shoulders and calling her name but she didn't get a response. She checked for injuries and broken bones to find a possible cause of her unconsciousness. Kate's smart trouser suit was dirty and crumpled and she was lying next to rough stone walls and floor. She was several feet away from the huge iron wheel that Martha assumed belonged to the barriers now lining the Thames.

If Martha's assumptions were correct, Kate must have been thrown from behind the wheel, against the wall and down to the floor. She was lucky not to have landed further into the storm water and drowned. As it was, Martha suspected her injuries to be vast and covered up by her clothes. She felt around Kate's head for signs of blood or obvious bruising and couldn't detect anything, but in the dim light from their torches it wasn't clear to see. Eventually they got her out, slowly but surely, on a stretcher carried by two of the UNIT soldiers. They seemed more than pleased to assist and despite the difficult relationship between the Science division and the Military part of UNIT, they seemed to respect their boss and treated her with the utmost dignity.

Martha had been gone for nearly two hours and Osgood had done her best to keep occupied by steering the cleanup operation. She organised teams of military personnel to scour the city for survivors and set the various research teams to work analysing her device and their equipment to work out what had just happened. She'd phoned Gordon, who had been with Maria's team at the Torchwood hub during the incident, and had that difficult conversation with him about his mum being missing and the uncertainty of her condition. He was on his way back to London with Maria in tow and Osgood promised to update him when she had news. Osgood's radio crackled into life and Martha was calling for her attention.

"Greyhound Two here, what's your position? Over." Everything around Osgood seemed to stop, whatever Martha was about to tell her had the ability to change everything.

"Greyhound One retrieved. Unconscious but stable, for now. Taking her to Royal London for further assessment." The relief that came over the scientist was immense, she couldn't help but let out a sob over the radio. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest and her body thrummed with nervous energy.

"Thank you Martha, thank you." It wasn't strictly radio protocol but Osgood had to let her Torchwood colleague know her gratitude.

"No problem, Martha out."

* * *

The hospital room was thankfully quiet, save for the intermittent beeping of the machine that kept a close eye on Kate's heart rate. The room was clean and sterile, as you would expect, but the soft blue blanket that had been placed over Kate's prone form broke the stark white colour of everything else. Kate's face was pale, only marred by several cuts and bruises up her arms and a couple across her face. There were more bruises all over her body but they were hidden underneath the layers of blankets. Between Martha and the doctors they had surmised that Kate must have definitely been thrown against the wall, hit her head on the way down and landed in the storm water.

Physically she appeared to have come through it relatively unscathed but she had yet to regain consciousness. They doctors weren't particularly worried at this point, considering the trauma she had been through and anticipated her waking up in her own time eventually. Osgood sat in an uncomfortable chair at her bedside and kept watch as she spoke to her gently, filling her in on everything she had missed.

"McGillop is holding fort back at HQ, only while I'm here with you. I hope I've made the right decisions and done the sort of things that you would have, had you been able to. It's weird, I didn't really think about it all that much at the time. You were down in the dungeons and people needed answers and direction, so I just did it. It's only now that I'm thinking about it I realised how scary that sort of responsibility is. I understand your decision, that trying to be a leader and have a private life, a relationship, is perhaps too difficult to handle. I still love you Kate, not that I've ever said it to you in so many words, but I respect your decision. I think I'll always love you but I just want us to be friends again, just like we used to be." Osgood reached out and ran the back of her hand gently over Kate's cheek. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the blonde's forehead. The door to the room opened slowly and Gordon popped his head through before he walked all the way in.

"Thanks for sitting with her for a bit. I really needed to go home, get changed and have something to eat."

"How is your house? Much damage?"

"Not too bad, garden's a bit soggy and there are a few trees in the street that have been either struck by lightning or had branches ripped off by the winds but other than that I think we were lucky."

"That's good to hear. Right, I should be off."

"You don't have to go just because of me; she'd want you to be here."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Of course she would! You're her girlfriend."

"No, not really."

"Oh, I thought…."

"Once upon a time. A lot's happened since then."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did she break it off?" Osgood didn't want to say but the look on her face must have given her away because Gordon continued. "Yeah, she has a habit of doing that. Look, I'll tell you one thing about my mum. I love her dearly but when she's scared about something she pushes it as far away from her as possible, especially when it comes to emotions. It's not really about getting hurt, she's probably more scared that she'd hurt you by not being good enough or there enough or some other inadequacy she can think of. She worries that she's too much like Granddad was, stubborn and inflexible. Okay, so that's actually true but the point I'm making is that she's not necessarily going to make the same mistakes that he did and she won't know unless she tries."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence but I think whatever there was between us is all water under the bridge now. At least for her anyway."

"Do you still love her?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Then don't give up on her. That's all I ask." Osgood nodded and stood up anyway.

"I'm going for a breath of fresh air, a bit of a walk. I'll come back; I just need to think for a bit."

"Okay, just don't leave without saying goodbye."

* * *

Osgood arrived back at the door to Kate's hospital room and peered through the glass panel. Several medical personnel were standing around the bed checking the equipment and speaking to Gordon. He stood a little way from the bed and observed the people working around his mum. At first Osgood thought that something had happened while she'd been away, but she looked closer and saw that Kate was moving - she was coming round! Suddenly Gordon looked up at the door and he caught her eye. He grinned and nodded at her, sticking his thumbs up to further indicate it was good news. Osgood nodded back and then collapsed against the wall by the door in relief. She'd leave Gordon to it for the time being but she would keep her promise and stay around to say goodbye. Her eyes filled with tears and spilled unchecked down her face.

"Hi Mum, welcome back!" Gordon smiled down at his mum gently and held onto her hand. She was still a bit groggy from having been asleep for so long but she immediately recognised him.

"Gordy!" He squeezed her hand to reassure her. "Did it work?"

"London's safe. You managed to get the barrier up in time and Osgood's plan worked; the rift collapsed in on itself and then disappeared." Kate pressed her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes briefly in relief.

"Osgood?"

"You should be proud of her Mum. She took command when you disappeared and sorted everything out. She's just outside if you wanted to see her?" Kate shook her head and Gordon wondered what had happened between the two friends to have split them apart like this. "She's probably upset with me." Gordon smiled, ah so perhaps it wasn't that she didn't want to see her but that she didn't want to be told off?

"Well, I think it's safe to say that she's not pleased you decided that your life was worth sacrificing, me neither while we're on that point!" Kate looked suitably admonished but Gordon knew that she wouldn't have done anything different if she had to do it again.

"I'm sorry, it was the only way to save so many lives. I couldn't have lived with that on my conscience."

"I understand, really I do, but I could have lost my mum in the process!" Gordon leaned over to give his mother a hug and a few tears were shed. "Osgood told me that you're not seeing each other anymore?"

"We never really started anything to be honest."

"She loves you, you know?" Kate nodded.

"I think I'd worked that one out."

"And what about you? Do you love her?" Kate's lip trembled and she gave the smallest, most imperceptible of nods but Gordon caught it anyway. "Then surely after everything you've been through today you can't waste any more time? Put your fears to one side and go with your heart. I want you to be happy, you _should_ be happy." Gordon stood up and went to move. "Look, I'm going to get her. It's only fair she gets a chance to see you now that you're awake." Gordon left the room and went to get Osgood. He looked down the corridor but couldn't see her and was disappointed that she'd left and not said anything. Then he spotted her squashed into a corner seat behind the vending machines. "I thought you'd gone!" The sound of his voice startled her for a moment.

"Sorry, I needed a cup of coffee. Not that it's done much good, this stuff is revolting!"

"I thought you might like to speak to Mum now that she's awake?"

"She probably won't want to see me, besides I shouldn't intrude on your time with her."

"I think you should see her and I wouldn't have suggested it if I minded."

"But does she want to see me?"

"Well, you're going to have to see each other eventually. Might as well be now."

* * *

Osgood approached Kate's bed nervously. When had it become this difficult to speak to her friend? Someone she'd known and been friends with for years before all of this had happened between them? Perhaps they'd both got too bogged down in thinking about all the risks instead of going with their hearts?

"Hello you." Kate greeted Osgood with a smile. "I hear you've been a rather good replacement in my absence?" Osgood blushed.

"Nowhere near as effective, I can assure you and I'm sadly lacking some of your authority and the personality to carry it off but I think it sufficed for a temporary arrangement." There was a pregnant pause and Osgood took the opportunity to take up the seat Gordon had just vacated. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Sore, although I'm on some pretty heavy duty painkillers at the moment so I imagine that I'm going to feel a whole lot worse when they stop dosing me up. I've also got some very attractive bruises! I must look a fright!"

"You're beautiful," It was out of Osgood's mouth before she could stop herself from saying it but she wasn't sorry. "...and brave and heroic. And you're also an idiot, a selfish idiot for thinking you're expendable!" Osgood couldn't help the rise in volume as her anger seeped through and Kate looked suitably admonished.

"I deserved that."

"And then some! Oh Kate, why? Why put yourself in danger like that? You knew I was working on something and even if I wasn't, we go down as a team."

"I couldn't guarantee your plan would even have been ready in time, let alone even worked. One life for the sake of the many makes more sense to me."

"Yes but not when it's _your_ life. What about Gordon?" It was unspoken but Kate heard the ' _what about me'_ anyway.

"I'm sorry but I can't promise you that I wouldn't do it again." There were a few moments of silence and Osgood felt disappointed when she realised that things were still going to be awkward between them, even after this.

"I'd better go, let you rest." Osgood would have stayed all night if she could but she was exhausted and in desperate need of food and a shower herself. She stood up with the intention of leaving but Kate caught her arm.

"No, don't go, not just yet and not like this." Osgood sat back down at Kate's request. "I feel like there's this distance between us and I hate it." Osgood added the _'well, you put it there'_ comment in her head but left it unspoken. Now wasn't the time for an argument. She allowed Kate time to gather her thoughts and have her say. "I could give you a list of reasons why I've been running away from this, from us, but you know me, know my history and probably worked it out anyway." Osgood nodded to let Kate know she was following her and that she was correct in her assumption. "I was wrong to push you away, even if we had decided not to pursue it, I should have told you how I felt instead of trying to ignore it." Kate looked right at Osgood then and held her gaze. "I love you. It frightens me and I don't know what to do about it." Osgood's emotions bubbled over and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. Tears rolled down her cheek, happy tears full of relief. Kate didn't seem to be able to say any more, too choked up with emotion herself.

"Well, I'd say that was probably a good start! I love you too, anything else and well we can deal with it as it comes." Osgood reached out and laced her fingers through Kate's, a symbolic gesture that together they were stronger. "The world didn't end then?" Osgood's comment had a double meaning and Kate couldn't help but laugh, she'd missed the younger woman's corny jokes. They laughed until Kate very clearly became uncomfortable with the pain. "I really think I should go now, let you rest. Besides, Gordon's still outside and is probably wondering if we've killed each other yet."

"Okay. I'm really proud of everything you've done today you know." Osgood blushed and basked in the praise.

"I had a good teacher. Although, I wouldn't want to do it full time, or ever again while we're on that subject! It's made me see things from your point of view, given me a new appreciation for your responsibilities." Osgood thought if anything, it would only serve to make any future relationship they had work better.

"Thank you. I'll try not to let it happen again." Osgood stood and this time she leaned over the hospital bed and pressed a kiss to Kate's forehead. "Is that it?" Kate remarked when the younger woman had pulled away from her. "We declare our undying love for each other and you kiss my head?!" It was said in jest and Osgood chuckled. She then leaned in, met Kate halfway and they pressed their lips against each other. Kate hooked her hand around Osgood's neck and pulled her closer so she could deepen the kiss. It was slow and gentle but full of love and held a promise of things to come.

* * *

 **Epilogue 1 (Post Day of The Doctor)**

Kate hadn't been lying when she said that she would consider sacrificing herself again for the greater good. Only a few months later and she had been prepared to detonate a nuclear warhead in the Black Archive underneath the Tower of London. This time she would have wiped out some of city she had saved to ensure the survival of the rest of the planet. However, this time she had McGillop and Osgood by her side. Osgood had tried to reason with her that there was another way but she had conceded due to the time restrictions. It had taken The Doctor's interference to make Kate see sense and negotiate a deal with the Zygons instead. Although, he'd given them the advantage of memory loss so no one had known which side they were on, ensuring a fair treaty for all.

Osgood had also finally had the chance to meet her hero. Kate was secretly pleased and felt absolved of any remaining guilt for when she had exiled her in Cardiff during the Year of the Slow Invasion and she'd missed him the first time. Osgood had even been given a tour of the TARDIS, resulting in an over-excited asthma attack in the middle of it! Kate was half waiting for the Doctor to offer the younger woman the opportunity to travel with him, but thankfully it didn't come. He seemed to have had enough on his plate with Clara who appeared to be more than a match for him.

* * *

Tommy was curled into a ball on a blanket at the end of the settee. He was dozing quite soundly and seemed fairly content in his new surroundings. Kate's house was bigger than Osgood's flat and he had constant access to the garden and a nearby park. Osgood hadn't moved in and neither of them had any intention of making that sort of a commitment at this stage, if ever. However, it had been getting quite ridiculous the amount of time Osgood had been spending at Kate's in the evenings after work, ultimately staying overnight and on occasional days off. Poor Tommy had been suffering without his human companion being around much, so Kate had suggested that he come to live with her and take advantage of the extra space. It meant that Osgood didn't feel quite so guilty and it was even more of an excuse for her to visit.

They'd navigated this shift in their relationship reasonably well so far and ensured that they communicated how they felt at each stage. They'd not openly declared anything to their colleagues but they'd also not bothered to try and hide it either. As he had prepared to leave after the trouble with the Zygons, The Doctor had nudged Kate with his elbow, winked at her and told her that he thought Osgood was a keeper. She'd smiled gratefully at him, appreciating his approval as a substitute for her father's. At the other end of the settee Osgood sat upright with her nose in a book and her legs up on the coffee table. Kate lay stretched out on the settee with her head in Osgood's lap and she alternated between reading and then tapping away on her Tablet. Osgood absentmindedly played with a strand of Kate's hair, which was rapidly growing out of her previously shorter style. Without warning, Kate rested the tablet on her lap and angled herself upwards to place a firm kiss on Osgood's lips. The younger woman grinned widely and looked down at her girlfriend.

"What was that for?" Kate shrugged her shoulders from their position against Osgood's thighs. She was comfortable and settled and warm.

"Just felt like it." Osgood nodded but then her grin turned into a wry smile as she realised that she couldn't take anything Kate said for no reason at face value.

"What do you want?" It was mildly accusatory but in a jovial way.

"What makes you think I want something?" But the tone of Kate's voice was telling; mock innocence and Kate had always been rubbish at lying when it came to her emotions.

"Uh, huh…?"

"Alright, you've got me. I'd love a cup of tea?" She nudged Osgood again for effect.

"Hey! What did your last slave die of?" It was said in jest and Kate chuckled.

"I'm sure I could find a way of suitably recompensing you…" Kate's fingers walked their way up Osgood's arm to the collar of her shirt and fiddled with the top button. The younger woman flushed instantly and cleared her suddenly dry throat with a little cough.

"You're such a tease!" Osgood moved herself off the settee and Kate sat up with her as she did so. The brunette leaned down and planted a solid kiss to Kate's lips.

"And yet you still love me?" Kate asked rhetorically as they separated. The younger woman paused then and took a moment to look at Kate seriously.

"Yes, yes I do."

* * *

An epilogue will follow this chapter in due course...


	11. Epilogue

**Post Death in Heaven - November 2014**

Gordon sat at his mother's bedside and held her hand as he watched her dozing. She was important enough to have been given her own room in the hospital, so they at least had some sort of privacy. It was warm in the room, too warm in that way hospitals often were and oddly quiet. Kate was only staying in for twenty four hour observation; despite appearing to be free from obvious injury, she _had_ fallen several thousands of feet from an aeroplane!

She'd been dazed and confused when she'd first come round and the wind had understandably been knocked from her lungs. She'd been quite nauseous and hadn't been able to face food either, so the health care professionals decided that until she'd eaten a couple of full meals, had plenty to drink and showed no further signs of concussion or confusion then she could go home. Her condition had been compounded by the realisation and then later confirmation of the plane crash that had killed several UNIT personnel, including Osgood.

She'd been desperate to leave hospital and deliver the sad news to families herself. She had been so consumed with guilt and grief, even Gordon had known it was too soon and thus a bad idea. Captain Tate had been forced to relieve her of duty and the nurses had given her a sedative to calm her down. Once again Gordy had come so close to losing his mum and he counted every single one of his blessings that she had survived. It was bittersweet though; he'd learned from Clara that it had been his Cyber-converted grandfather who had saved her and that Osgood was lost to them forever. He was gutted, for both himself and his mum. She'd fought so hard against her feelings for the younger woman, out of fear of leaving herself vulnerable to her heart and then the universe had turned on her and broken that heart anyway. He'd never seen his mum so happy in the eighteen months she and Osgood had been together. It helped that he got on well with the scientist and they'd enjoyed spending time getting to know each other.

Kate stirred and Gordon held her hand tighter to let her know that he was there. She took a few moments to wake properly and eventually rolled over to face her visitor.

"Gordy?" Her voice was hoarse and she still sounded full of sleep, a side-effect of the sedatives.

"Hello Mum." He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Sit up and have some water before you try to talk." Kate sat forward while Gordon propped up the head of the bed using the adjustable stand and puffed up the pillows before she sat back against them. He handed her a cup of water with a straw in it. "Just take a few sips first." Kate did as she was told and then nodded when she'd had enough.

"Thanks love. How long have I been asleep?"

"Just over four hours, it's late. If you're hungry, I got you a sandwich when they came round with dinner." She _was_ hungry but still didn't want to eat as it felt like her stomach was tied in knots, so she simply shook her head in reply. "You've got to eat something otherwise they won't discharge you tomorrow."

"Maybe, in a bit." Kate didn't want to argue with Gordon. "Have you heard anything from Captain Tate?"

"No, but Sarah Jane phoned. She wanted to offer her condolences and make arrangements to see you once you're home." At the mention of condolences Kate swallowed hard at the emotion that choked her senses.

"Gordy, could you do me a favour? I want you to visit Osgood's parents and speak to them on my behalf, face to face. I don't want them to think I've forgotten or don't care about them."

"Of course they won't! They know that you're in hospital and that you'd have seen them if you could."

"It's not good enough Gordy. If it wasn't for me… if I hadn't… she'd still be here. I deserve to face their anger, their blame and the consequences of my actions."

"You're grieving for her too! So am I. It's no one's fault Mum, it's the nature of your job. Think about how many people you did save."

"Please Gordy? I need to feel like I'm doing something." Gordon nodded reluctantly, just to placate his mum to make her feel better.

"Okay, first thing tomorrow, it's too late tonight."

"Thank you."

* * *

Gordon approached the door and rang the bell. It only took a few moments for it to be answered by Osgood's father.

"Hello Sir."

"Hello. Gordon isn't it?"

"Yes sir. Sorry to disturb you at a time like this but I was wondering if you had a moment?"

"Of course, please come in." Tom ushered Gordy into the living room where Osgood's mum was sitting on the settee with a cup of tea and a notebook in her hands.

"Becky, you remember Gordon don't you? Kate's son."

"Ah, yes. Hello love, how's your mum doing?"

"Fine… sort of… not really, that's why I'm here. She's terribly sorry that she couldn't see you in person, to tell you herself, about… They won't discharge her from hospital just yet, otherwise she'd be here." Becky patted the space on the settee next to her and indicated that she wanted Gordon to sit down. She took his hand in hers as he did so.

"Oh love, we understand that. She hasn't suffered any injuries has she?"

"She was pretty winded and shocked when she first came round. She was so distraught they eventually had to sedate her. Hopefully she'll be a bit better today after a good long sleep. I'm hoping they'll let her come home this afternoon." Gordy hesitated for a moment before he began speaking again. "She's so very sorry about what happened. She blames herself and she knows that you're within your rights to feel angry at her. I'm really upset about everything too." Tom had listened to Gordon and Becky as they spoke. He put a firm hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"Son, my daughter chose to follow my footsteps into UNIT. She and I knew perfectly well what she was walking into from her very first day. We're devastated, she was a very special person and our eldest child and we'll never really get over this. But your mum is not to blame herself; she's probably just as upset as we are. I know she would have done the right thing and had to make some difficult decisions very quickly. I know, I've been there myself and your grandfather did the best he could at the time."

"Thank you sir, you're very kind."

"None of this 'Sir' business lad! Call me Tom, please."

"I don't think I've ever seen my mum as happy as she's been in the last couple of years since she and Osgood got together. They seemed so right for each other, like they just fit." Becky seemed to go quiet at Gordon's obvious approval of his mother's relationship with her daughter but Tom smiled widely and nodded.

"Me too Gordon, me too. She always had a twinkle in her eye whenever she mentioned your mum, right from the very beginning."

"I'm sorry I can't stay very long. I want to get back so I can pick Mum up as soon as they discharge her."

"Thank you for coming, we really appreciate it."

"Mum also said that she wanted to help you with arrangements for a service or whatever you wanted to do to honour Osgood. Money's no object, just make sure it's what you want for her and we'll sort out the rest."

"What I want is for her to be alive and well and standing here right now!" Becky could no longer hold back her anger. Gordon had been expecting it and had been surprised they'd been so amenable up until now.

"Becky…." Tom tried to calm his wife down.

"No Tom! I'm sorry, no disrespect to you or your mother Gordon but I didn't like her influence on my daughter. She could have got married, had a family. Now we have to live without her and she'll never get to realise her potential."

"You know that's not what our Oz wanted love. She died doing a job she enjoyed and she was with the person she loved. We've been through this a dozen times already and it's not really something the lad should be hearing. I'm sorry Gordon."

"It's fine S..Tom, you're both entitled to say what you feel."

"We're all still in shock. Tell you what, when your mum's been home for a couple of days and you think she's up to visitors, let us know and we'll pop over. We can talk about any arrangements then yeah?"

* * *

Gordy went to visit his mum back at the hospital in the early afternoon. He brought some spare casual clothes with him as she had requested. He was prepared to stay until he could take her back home with him, but the nurses still seemed a bit reluctant even though Kate had managed some breakfast of buttered toast and then soup and a sandwich for lunch. She was running a slight temperature and was a bit wobbly on her feet when she'd got up to go to the loo, but otherwise she had no ill-effects from her ordeal, physically at least. Of course she'd asked how Tom and Becky were when he had visited and Gordon decided to give her the abridged version for the time being. Kate had seemed temporarily placated by that, at least they knew her thoughts were with them even if she couldn't be in person. She'd received a new mobile phone handset from someone at UNIT during the night, so she had been able to get back to work in some capacity from her hospital bed. The nurses hadn't been too happy but Kate was both stubborn and independent and didn't take to anyone telling her otherwise. At least she had felt useful in the wake of The Master's interference. Of course, the Doctor was nowhere to be seen but Clara had been in contact. They decided that the telephone wasn't the best method of having a conversation about everything that had happened and that Clara would visit Kate once she was back at work in a day or so.

After a few hours Kate was finally discharged in the late afternoon with full instructions to rest for a further forty-eight hours and not to go back to work until after then. Gordy sniggered; he doubted she'd last even a day and fully expected her to pop into The Tower tomorrow morning sometime. Kate changed into her jeans and a loose fitting top and then Gordon drove her home. She was understandably quiet on the way and kept looking out of the window at the world around them. It was surprising how quickly everyone just went back to normal after everything the previous day, almost as though it had never happened at all. Gordon supposed that the only real damage was to the cemeteries, St Paul's and Boat One. St Paul's was still in lock down with UNIT officers systematically investigating every corner of the famous cathedral in the hope of gaining some insight into Missy/The Master and how she was able to be right under their noses this whole time. Clara had explained that the Cyberman who had saved her, presumably her father, had shot and disintegrated Missy but Kate knew the files in regards to her previous regenerations and their antics inside out and doubted that was the end of the story.

Kate had spoken to Captain Tate and in her absence, and at the loss of Osgood as her second in command, she authorised them to take temporary control of the Taskforce. She had explained what she wanted to happen with the cemeteries across the world, getting Captain Tate to ensure International agreement that all governments would carry out the same actions. There would be pockets of local authorities and those with only rudimentary systems who wouldn't comply, but a reasonably uniform approach was the best she could hope for at the moment. There had been twelve people on board Boat One. Twelve sets of families Kate was duty and morally bound to offer some sort of comfort and compensation to. Captain Tate had that mostly in hand too, although she had requested that they leave anything to do with Osgood for her to be responsible for.

Gordon set to work making his mum a cup of tea and something substantial to eat as soon as they had arrived home. He knew that if left to her own devices, she'd not eat or drink a single thing. If she returned to work early in the morning, like he suspected she would, then she would need to keep her strength up for a long day ahead of her. Kate flopped heavily on the settee, relieved to be at home and back in her own surroundings. She couldn't fault the hospital and she had been privileged to have her own private room but it wasn't the same as being in control of herself.

Tommy had been stalking Gordon in the kitchen until he'd set down a bowl and ripped open a pouch of food; which had lasted less than sixty seconds. The ginger cat then sought out his mistress and happened upon Kate on the settee. With a delicate, practised leap, suddenly Kate had a lap full of fluff and a grateful rough tongue licked her hands as she ran her fingers through his fur. The tears came then, slowly at first; unconsciously falling down her face as she continued to pet the cat she co-parented. Something inside of her broke, her heart probably, and the dam of emotion burst forth. Wracking sobs reverberated through her body and she shook with the weight of it all. Poor Tommy had no idea what had happened to his mistress but he held firm and remained in her lap offering what small comfort he could. Of course Gordy had heard the cries from the kitchen and he'd stuck his head round the door to check on his mum. He felt so incredibly sorry for her in that moment and ran to her side in an instant. He scooped her up into his arms and allowed her to sob on his shoulder for as long as it took.

* * *

Kate leaned against the door frame and looked out onto her beloved garden. Once her work and career with UNIT had stepped up several gears, she'd needed to do something that was both relaxing and satisfying. Since Gordy had grown out of destroying any plants she did have with a football, she had taken up gardening. She'd got some hints and tips from Doris and her father before they had both passed away but it was clear that she had inherited yet another family trait and found that she was actually quite good at it. She was mightily proud of her garden and despite the fact that Tommy had decided a couple of shrubs made a good hiding spot, he had been fairly respectful of her efforts so far. Osgood had been impressed the first time she'd seen it and they'd sat outside with a couple of beers admiring the view, both of the garden and each other.

Kate inhaled on her cigarette and let out the smoke slowly through her mouth as she watched the drizzle saturate the garden. It was wet and grey and she felt no sense of pleasure in realising it reflected her mood perfectly. A hand placed itself gently on her shoulder and ran its way down her arm before squeezing her sideways into a hug. Kate hadn't needed to look up to know who it was, her touch and scent was familiar and welcome. Kate didn't lean into the embrace, partly to protect her visitor from being burned by the cigarette but also because she wanted to keep herself in check, lest she have another breakdown.

"I'm so terribly sorry Kate; I don't really know what to say." Both Sarah Jane and Maria had been devastated to hear of Osgood's untimely death. The two couples had become rather close through their shared experiences and history. Maria had been particularly friendly with the younger scientist after they had worked alongside each other during Osgood's secondment to Torchwood. Kate didn't know what to say either; words didn't seem enough and any sentiments hollow and false. Sarah Jane knew her well enough to understand that without being told and kept one arm loosely about her waist, gently supporting her and letting her know that she was there.

After a while, when Kate had finished her cigarette, she turned and faced her friend to look her in the eye. Sarah Jane had seen her when she'd lost her father and now she was facing the grieving process all over again. Kate could hold it in no more and broke down in her friend's arms, knowing that she wouldn't be judged for letting out her heartache and sorrow.

* * *

The memorial service had been a necessary but painful procedure and Kate had felt like she was on the outside looking in. Tom and Becky had eventually come round one evening and they'd spoken at length about the events which had led to their daughter's death and the decisions Kate had made at the time. Becky was still frosty with Kate but they were amenable enough to discuss the memorial service. Tom had been keen to allow Kate anything she wanted or that she thought that Osgood would have wanted but she had been reluctant to voice her thoughts. Eventually they settled on something for everyone, not least of all something that made it a fitting tribute to the woman herself.

Kate had stood to give a eulogy, from her perspective as Osgood's boss first but then something slightly more personal She'd wrestled with whether to mention it or not for ages and had sought Tom's advice as well as Sarah Jane's. They had told her that if it was something she felt she wanted to do then she should. Everyone in the laboratory knew of their relationship and most people on the front line at UNIT. No doubt the news would still surprise some people but they were the ones who didn't matter and probably wouldn't be at the memorial service anyway.

Kate had admittedly struggled with the eulogy, the pain of her loss still raw and some part of her still refused to believe it was real. Gordon, Sarah Jane and Maria had been there on the day, as well as Osgood's parents, sister, brother-in-law and nieces. She'd spoken of their long friendship, recalled Osgood's kindness from that very first day and remarked upon her wit and their shared sense of humour. She acknowledged that the younger woman had kept her grounded and had offered essential unwavering support in her early days in charge of UNIT. Kate also admitted her own personal fear of developing their relationship further and recalled the incident with the two rifts colliding that eventually brought them together. After her speech and one from Tom, who noted Osgood's happiness during her relationship with Kate, there had not been a dry eye left in the house.

After memorial services had been carried out for all the fallen UNIT personnel, life slowly returned to normal. Well, not exactly normal but there was still plenty of work to be done and Kate wanted to be ready for the next time the Master made an unwelcome appearance.

* * *

 **A Year Earlier**

Kate fiddled with the zip at the back of her dress. Dresses weren't her first choice of attire and she would be more comfortable in a trouser suit, but Sarah Jane had asked and how could she have refused one of her oldest friends? Besides, it was only going to be for a couple of hours as she was determined to change out of it as soon as they got to the reception afterwards. Perhaps it was something to do with pockets because Kate had a habit of resting her hands in them. It gave her a casual air of confidence and authority as well as a very handy place to keep her mobile phone! Sarah, on the other hand, looked gorgeous in a simple white gown and the smile on her face said it all really. Sarah Jane tutted loudly at her friend making a show of being awkward and spun her around to sort out the issue with the zip; it had got caught on a small piece of the material which was why it seemed to be irritating Kate somewhat.

"How are you feeling?" Kate asked the predictable question, feeling that as her friend and bridesmaid she perhaps ought to.

"Fine really. It's not going to make any big difference to us other than celebrating our relationship with our friends and family and making a provision for the future. Honestly, it's not that big of a deal." Sarah Jane had surprised herself when she and Maria had first talked about getting married. Then again, since Maria had come along everything she thought she knew about herself had been tested.

"I'm still terrified at the thought of it!"

"Even now, with Osgood?"

"Yes. It's not that I don't love her; I do, I really do, but I've never really felt that it was a requirement." Sarah knew the wounds ran deep for Kate and her parents' history was never far from her mind. Both she and Kate also held very strong feminist beliefs and buying into the patriarchal institution just to replicate societal norms was something they had both wanted to avoid.

"Does she feel the same?"

"She knew how I felt when we got together." Kate still had some way to go with the etiquette of relationships and how communication was a vital element to their survival.

"But have you asked her about it?"

"No." Of course they hadn't had a direct conversation about commitment or anything as serious as marriage but Kate had spoken about her feelings on the subject in the past and was confident Osgood had no expectations of that sort.

"I think that you perhaps ought to at some point, just to make sure and then you both know exactly where you stand. Number one rule of relationships Kate, never assume you know what your partner is thinking and always talk about it!" At least Sarah Jane was on hand to give her friend some much needed advice, no matter how much Kate didn't really want to hear it.

"Come on, we've got to get a move on if we're going to make it to the registry office on time." Kate swiftly changed the subject and concentrated on the task at hand.

* * *

The ceremony had been lovely, simple and understated but no less intimate and emotional. Only a handful of friends and family had gathered into the small registry office in Ealing. Kate had been selected as a witness as well as Sarah Jane's son Luke. She'd met Maria's parents for the first time and got along brilliantly with her dad. Maria's mum wasn't quite Kate's cup of tea but she'd made a point to introduce herself anyway. This was the first occasion where Kate had introduced Osgood as her partner instead of assistant and it felt both odd and exciting at the same time. After the ceremony they had headed to a local community hall for the reception. Luke and Maria's friend Clyde was in charge of the music, their other friend Rani had organised the catering and her mum had sorted out all the flowers and decorated the hall.

Later in the evening, Kate glanced over at Osgood as she sat at a large round table chatting to some of the other guests. Sarah Jane's words resonated in her head and she took a few moments to think back on the last few months and their relationship. It had gone from strength to strength and the seriousness of it had been swift but surprisingly smooth. Kate was still terrified of that ultimate commitment and honestly couldn't imagine ever changing her mind. But looking at Osgood, enjoying the atmosphere of the occasion, she realised that she had never loved anyone more. It was an alien feeling but something about it also felt right at the same time. Kate knew that she had to make some kind of a gesture to show her lover that she was invested in their relationship. They had talked, intimately about various subjects and their relationships, both romantic and working alike, were strong. It's just that she'd never addressed the subject of her fear of commitment or spoken about outlined their expectations of the future.

The music changed to something slow and romantic and for once she decided to let go of her reputation and do something that she wanted to do. Kate approached Osgood's table and held her hand out for her to take. The younger woman looked up in surprise but grinned her assent anyway. She allowed herself to be pulled up and out of her seat and into the waiting embrace of her girlfriend. They danced to the entire song, entwined in each other's arms and softly murmured words of affection between them. The music dramatically changed to something up tempo and they laughed and danced along with it, carefree for once in their lives. Neither had had so much fun in ages and it hadn't gone unnoticed by the bridal party in the background. Kate indicated to Osgood that she wanted to slip outside for a while, away from the joviality of the party and have a few moments of time alone. The older woman took her lover by the hand and led her through the throng of revellers to the beautifully kept gardens outside. They walked in silence for a while, each reflecting on their own thoughts and feelings before Kate felt ready speak her mind.

"It's been such a lovely day." Kate said it wistfully and knew that it was a day she wasn't going to forget in a hurry. Sadly, she hadn't actually been to that many weddings before.

"It has, hasn't it? Even if you did have to wear a dress for some of it!" Osgood nudged Kate in her side and the older woman chuckled.

"Yeah! They did look very happy though, didn't they? I'm really pleased for them." There was absolutely no jealousy or residual feeling in Kate for Sarah Jane and she was very comfortable in the friendship they now had.

"Me too, and after so much uncertainty in the beginning, particularly for Maria." It hadn't really occurred to Kate before now how very much aligned their relationship journey had been to Sarah Jane and Maria's.

"I'm terribly sorry that I put you through something similar, you deserved so much more than that. I don't know why you put up with me to be honest!"

"You had your reasons for it at the time. As painful as it was, we got there in the end and I wouldn't change a thing if it meant we wouldn't be standing here now."

"I brought you out here to ask you something." The look of complete shock on Osgood's face told Kate that she'd immediately misinterpreted what she had been intending to say. "I can't make you the same promises that Sarah Jane and Maria have made to each other today. I wish I could but it's just not in me to be that person."

"It's fine Kate, you don't have to explain yourself. I kind of knew that when we first got together."

"But I do want us to make a commitment to each other; I'd like us to live together full time. And, if anything should ever happen to one of us, I'd like to make you a promise, anything at all, which says the same thing just in a different way." Osgood beamed at Kate and nodded enthusiastically.

"I'd like that very much. I already spend most of my free time at your house and Tommy's made himself quite at home, it seems a natural progression. And I think we know each other well enough by now not to kill each other in the process!" They both chuckled at that and then Kate grew serious.

"We also know just how dangerous our lives can be, all too well unfortunately. We need to make provisions should anything untoward happen." It was a sobering thought but Kate was right, working for UNIT wasn't the safest job in the world and making provision for the future was a sensible idea.

"What sort of thing were you thinking of?"

"For example, I know he's technically an adult but he's all I've got left in this world so I'd want you to look out for Gordy; be the mother that he'll need when I'm gone and grandmother to his future children. You're the only one I'd trust to love him the way that I do and you've got such a wonderful relationship already; it's not that much of a stretch to imagine that developing." Osgood had to wipe the tears from her eyes she was so overcome with emotion. "Tell me what you're thinking?" Kate said it kindly, willing to listen to whatever reaction her wish was going to provoke.

"I don't like you talking that way Kate, I almost lost you once and I can't bear the thought of it happening again."

"I know sweetheart but we have to be realistic here."

"I am honoured that you'd trust me with the care of your child, even if he is a fully grown adult!" They both chuckled at that. Kate had been right; she and Gordon had developed a really lovely relationship over the last few months. She could see that he cared deeply for his mum and for some strange reason he seemed to wholeheartedly approve of their relationship.

"And I want to return that commitment and trust as well, but you can take your time and think about it if you want." Kate had been thinking about this for a little while anyway, before Sarah Jane had cemented the thought in her head.

"No, I already know what I'd ask from you, it's just incredibly sad thinking about it."

"Please, tell me."

"Grace and Isabelle, I'd want you to make sure they were looked after, tell them about me, about how much I loved them and played with them. Be the Aunt that I would no longer be able to be for them. Let them tell you their secrets, be a friend and confidante if they couldn't talk to their parents." They were still young but Grace had already grown into a habit of telling her aunt little 'secrets.' Not that they were anything significant and Osgood always told her sister (who already knew) anyway. And it was really only kid stuff like which person she was friends with this week or not. Kate took a few moments to think on Osgood's words and wishes.

"They're wonderful children and do I love them already. I'm just not sure I'd be quite the sort of aunt you've been to them so far. I've never even considered being an aunt before, having been an only child, but I would try. I promise you that I would do my best by them, if the need arose, which it won't." Osgood shook her head and willed the sorrowful, morbid thoughts away.

"I love you." The younger woman said reverently and pressed her lips firmly against Kate's.

"I love you too."

* * *

 **February 2015**

"Did Osgood ever tell you the difficulties James and I had conceiving the girls?" Kate shook her head and took a sip of her tea. She was sat in Osgood's sister's living room and waited patiently for Suzanne to tell her story. "When you first told me what you wanted to do, the promise you'd made her to fill her role and develop a relationship with them, for a moment I thought that she might have. But she always honoured her promises and that secrets would always remain secret. Kate, what I'm about to tell you goes no further, not even Mum and Dad know the truth, I don't think they'd ever really understand it." Kate looked up at Suzanne in surprise; she had funny feeling settle in her stomach and her heart rate sped up in anticipation. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. "After a long time of trying without success, doctors discovered that my eggs weren't viable even though medically speaking I would be able to carry a baby to term and give birth naturally. Long story short, Osgood offered to donate her eggs so that there would still be a DNA connection. In other words, she's technically the girls' biological mother." Kate took an inward breath at the shocking news and tried to process it in her own mind before she voiced her thoughts to Suzanne.

"I had no idea, she didn't say a word to me. Of course I'd noticed how much they looked like her, Grace especially, but I had just assumed a strong family resemblance."

"Most people do. She was adamant that she didn't want anything more than a normal Aunt/Niece relationship with them. As far as I'm aware she had absolutely no regrets and felt happy with the arrangement. I'm incredibly humbled by what she did for us, having those two girls has fulfilled me, made my life complete and I don't know what I would have done had I not been able to be a mother. I'm sure she's told you that our relationship hasn't always been smooth?" Kate nodded as she remembered what Osgood had told her about her family situation back when they'd first met. "It brought us together, closer than we'd ever been before and changed our relationship considerably." There was a natural lull in the conversation and they both sat and reflected for a few minutes.

"Now that I know, does this change anything? Why did you choose to tell me now? Did you want me to stop seeing the girls so much?" Kate tried not to sound too upset but just when she'd discovered a stronger connection to her lost love, she felt like she was losing her all over again.

"Oh no, on the contrary. I've seen the time and effort you've put into your relationship with the girls, Gordon too for that matter, and I felt it was the right time for you to know the truth. I don't want their memory of her to fade and you're just the person to keep it alive, for as long as you want to."

* * *

While Kate had been making an effort with Osgood's nieces outside of work; life as Head of Scientific Research at UNIT was an altogether different story. Kate had never felt more alone; Sarah Jane was keeping things under control at her end while balancing it with her long distance marriage to Maria in Cardiff, both her father and Osgood were gone and the Doctor hadn't deigned to get in touch since Missy had appeared on the scene. Clara had mentioned something in passing around Christmas time but hadn't really elaborated on whatever the situation had been. Kate was considering making use of Clara and her experience from her recent travels with the Doctor, but she hadn't quite got as far as working out just how to go about it yet. She was confident she'd be able to work something out; after all she'd done it before with Maria and Torchwood.

McGillop had been pestering her about getting a replacement for Osgood for several weeks now. Not that he'd put it that way of course, but Kate had understood what he had been getting at anyway. She realised that she'd been unconsciously pushing work that would have normally been Osgood's responsibility to him, and he had a full enough workload as it was. It was just that Kate couldn't bring herself to even consider replacing her assistant; everything was still just a haze of emotion and grief and she wondered if it would ever end.

That was until one day when McGillop requested a meeting with his boss and brought along company. Jac was an admittedly striking woman; with very long, thick, curly hair, dark-rimmed glasses and a sophisticated dress sense. She was courteous and intelligent, respectful to authority but also spoke her mind. McGillop explained to his boss that he had no longer been able to cope with the workload, they weren't just one man down but several and he'd needed some assistance. Jac had been most highly qualified; she was a computer technician but had been a scientist in a previous job as well as extremely organised and super keen. McGillop could see that she was a perfect candidate for the role of Assistant to the Head of UNIT. Kate had felt ambushed but had been polite in front of the newcomer. Once the introductions had been made and Jac politely dismissed, Kate had then turned to McGillop and addressed the elephant in the room.

"That was very underhand; I don't appreciate you undermining my authority like that." It was rare for Kate to express such restrained anger; she frequently barked out orders authoritatively and occasionally disappointment when something went wrong, but hardly ever anger.

"No, you're right and I apologise but only partly. Kate, you need to start getting back to reality, you've been in a fog for too long." Kate's behaviour since the incident with Missy, the Cybermen and the crash of Boat One was widely spoken of around the labs. McGillop wondered if other departments had noticed too and if so, he worried that her authority might start to come into question.

"I'm bloody grieving!"

"Yes, we all understand that but there's also a job that needs to be done too. I couldn't cope on my own anymore and you weren't doing anything about it so I decided to take the decision out of your hands. Give her a chance, she's bloody brilliant at her job and I think you'd come to like her eventually."

"Osgood's barely been dead five minutes! I thought you were her friend?"

"It's been four months Kate! I haven't forgotten her and I miss her every day but we need to be ready for when the next time The Master decides to toy with us, or whatever alien species picks us as their next target. We need to get ourselves back on our feet and come back stronger than ever. For Osgood, for her memory, otherwise she would have died for nothing." Kate had nothing left to say and after a few moments of awkward silence, McGillop turned and left her office in pursuit of Jac.

McGillop had felt he owed Jac and explanation for the behaviour of his frosty boss and outlined the will-they, won't-they saga of Kate and Osgood's relationship and then the younger woman's recent untimely death and the events surrounding it. Jac understood that Kate was still grieving and that although she was very much needed at UNIT, it may take some time for Kate to warm to her. However, she had a good feeling about this new job and already wanted to put her heart and soul into it, even if she was going to have to work hard to get the boss to like her.

Kate wearily sat back in the chair at her desk and sighed heavily. She knew that she had been avoiding dealing with Osgood's death and not replacing her at UNIT was another one of the things she had neglected to do. Jac had been lovely and her CV spoke for itself. McGillop was right; Kate already liked the woman and saw that she could probably grow to depend on her as an assistant. It unsettled her so she reached into the one of the drawers of her desk and pulled out a photograph she'd hidden away since Osgood's memorial service. It was a candid shot of them both, taken by Gordy one rare lazy Sunday afternoon spent together as a family. They'd been sitting in the garden, a couple of beers by their side and wrapped unselfconsciously in each other's arms. She reverently brushed her thumb over Osgood's widely smiling face and reassuringly whispered that Jac could never replace her and that she would never be forgotten.

As well as ensuring she had time set aside to spend with Osgood's nieces, Kate had also taken on an allotment. Her garden had been a project of sorts for a number of years but it was now at a point where she was simply maintaining it. An allotment would ensure a continuous range of jobs for her to do; somewhere she could escape to and tinker about in at her will. It also meant that she had to make time for this endeavour too, otherwise it would quickly become overgrown and she'd risk having it taken away from her. Gordon kept his hand in, on occasion if she really was desperate for time, but ultimately it was her responsibility. Some people might have said that it was another way of avoiding her feelings, delaying the grieving process by making herself so busy she didn't have time to be by herself and think. However, the girls seemed to enjoy visiting the allotment and they were often curious and wanted to learn more about growing vegetables. Kate was pleased she'd managed to find an activity that they could share and that was unique to them.

* * *

 **Present Day, September 2015**

The two little girls delighted in being pushed higher and higher on the swings. Their laughter warmed Kate's heart and she could even hear Gordy's low chuckle mixed in with theirs. They were quite taken with Gordy, giving him the honorary title of 'uncle' after only a few weeks of getting to know him. They liked that he played rough and tumble with them and that he let them get away with most things like jumping all over him or letting them play with his hair! They were almost the siblings or cousins he never had growing up. Kate was the cuddle giver, the one to stick on a plaster and kiss it better when things had gone wrong and she was also the one to suggest large hot chocolates with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles! She was a real softy at heart, lest any of her UNIT colleagues find out! Kate had almost forgotten what it was like to have little ones around. It hadn't been easy bringing up Gordy alone and sometimes she wondered if she had missed out on some of the little joyous things along the way.

The girls were quite different from each other; one blonde-haired, blue-eyed gregarious one and the other, dark-haired, dark-eyed introverted one. It was heartbreakingly obvious that they took after their mum and their aunt respectively; or should that have been the other way round, since Kate was now aware of their true heritage? But she'd kept her promise and not told anyone of her discussion with Suzanne; in fact they'd not really spoken about it with each other either. It was enough to simply know the truth.

Gordy had been the first one to notice; he'd suddenly stopped what he had been doing and focused on something just outside of the playground. Kate went to ask him what he was looking at but he simply pointed somewhere behind her instead. She turned around at the same time as the girls, who screamed in delight at what they saw.

"Auntie Oz!" They ran up to the woman who was now standing inside the playground. She was dressed in a light brown knitted jumper with dark brown ribbed cuffs and hem, as well as two elbow patches along the arms. Underneath she wore a shirt with question marks on each side of the collar. The last time Kate had seen her was the day she had died and she didn't appear to look too different from then. Kate's rational, scientific mind pointed out that it wasn't possible but the emotional part of her was rapidly overtaking such thoughts. Kate stood where she was in shock while the girls hugged and cried over their aunt's miraculous reappearance. Gordy gently put an arm around his mother's waist to offer support without words. After a few moments of placating her nieces, Osgood looked up and made eye contact with Kate. They seemed to start to move towards each other at the same moment but Kate stopped and put a hand out when the younger woman was in arm's reach.

"Who are you?" The head of UNIT questioned her with suspicion, knowing instinctively that she could never trust what she saw with her eyes alone.

"Kate, it's me. I promise." Kate shook her head in disbelief.

"You were killed by Missy, before Boat One went down. Clara told me." Gordy tapped her elbow and pointed out someone who had joined them in the playground. Osgood knew who it was but threw a glance at him over her shoulder anyway. Kate looked and saw The Doctor watching them. He looked just the same as before too; salt and pepper hair, those thick, independently expressive eyebrows and the same dark cape. The girls were excitedly trying to the get his attention and Gordy went over to help the Time Lord out as well as allow his mum a few moments of privacy.

"He's probably the best person to explain it to you but I assure you that I am the real me. I remember everything that happened that day, the last thing we said to each other, the way you grabbed my hand when you thought no one was looking." Kate wondered if Missy had sensed the bond between her and Osgood and had deliberately chosen to harm her as a result. It had been just another way of her grieving mind finding some way of blaming herself for Osgood's death.

"I can't… I don't…" Osgood nodded in understanding. She'd probably feel the same sense of disbelief if she was faced with the same seemingly impossible miracle.

"You kept your promise." Osgood observed, trying a different tactic.

"Of course, how could I not?" Kate's voice cracked and shook her head in disbelief once again. "This isn't happening."

"I assure you it is." Osgood took a couple of steps closer and Kate half-heartedly tried to stop her. The younger woman reached out and grabbed hold of one of Kate's hands that had been hanging loosely by her side. "I'm warm and alive and real. Feel my pulse, the blood running through my veins." Kate instinctively clasped the hand holding hers.

"I'm a scientist, you know that I can't just take your word for it." Osgood smiled, she wouldn't have expected anything less.

"Ask me something that only the real me would know."

"If you've been cloned, all your memories would be too." Osgood had to concede on that point and for a moment it looked like Kate wasn't going to be convinced either way. Perhaps the Doctor would have more luck when he eventually made it over to them?

"Your sister and I had a chat, when I first asked about spending time with the girls. She assumed I already knew the truth." Kate seemingly changed the direction and tone of the conversation. But she carefully observed Osgood's face when it fell slightly at the implication of her words and saw several different emotions reflected in her eyes.

"I'm sorry; I didn't deliberately keep it from you because I didn't trust you…"

"It's okay. I understand your reasons, that you don't consider them to be yours. Grace is so like you, it's uncanny. But the more time I spend with them, the more I can see your sister in them too." Osgood felt relieved that Kate finally knew; she'd never been comfortable keeping the secret from her but did so out of loyalty to her sister. Then something occurred to her.

"How long has it been?"

"Nine months."

"Oh, I'd hoped it wasn't quite that long. I did ask the Doctor do get us back as close to that day as possible. I'm so very sorry, it must have been quite difficult for you?"

"It's been awful to be honest." Finally the Doctor had managed to free himself from Gordy and the girls and had appeared in front of Kate and Osgood.

"I see you two are getting reacquainted?" It was said casually, in that arrogant way the Doctor seemed to have sometimes. As though it were an everyday occurrence that a woman seemingly came back from the dead.

"What's going on? How is this even possible? Is it true?" Kate continued to hold firm to Osgood's hand, even with a small amount of doubt she was reluctant to break their connection now that she'd come back into her life.

"I promise you, she's as real as you and I. We had some nasty business with a few Zygons, all sorted now by the way. You might find you have some extra memories you didn't have before, but we can talk about that later. You should be proud of her, almost had her for a companion but she was adamant she wanted to get back to you, can't think why..." He winked at Kate then and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Why? Why would you do this for us?" Kate didn't think she was anything special, just an ordinary woman doing her bit to look after her city.

"Because I can. Because I am the Doctor and I save people. Because you need to be together; all of time and space and wherever there's a Lethbridge-Stewart there's an Osgood." It seemed too fantastical to be real and Kate wondered if she was going to wake up from a dream. "There's more; you still have much work to do, the universe needs you and it won't be easy. But if you have each other, anything's possible."


End file.
